


Avatar: The Lotus War

by Jim_Steele



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Bending (Avatar), Gen, Modern, Original Characters - Freeform, Post-Avatar: Legend of Korra, Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Post-Canon, Prejudice, Pro-Bending, Republic City, Spirit World, Technology, spirituality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-17 07:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3521306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jim_Steele/pseuds/Jim_Steele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>90 Years have passed since Avatar: The Legend of Korra. The world is flourishing, technological advances have created a comfortable lifestyle for a majority of the world. Spirituality is in decline, and, as a result, The Avatar has become nothing more than a celebrity personality. However, The Red Lotus has grown powerful, and continues to attempt to murder the current Avatar and re-open the spirit portals that Korra was forced to close in order to avoid a global spirit-bomb war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thank you for reading! I, like many other people, was saddened when The Legend of Korra series concluded and I realized that there would be no more Avatar in my life! To remedy this, I wanted to write my own series of events that take place a few generations after The Legend of Korra. I try to be as true to the lore of the Avatar universe as possible. 
> 
> This was originally mapped out as a comic, but I figured that would take way too long to release at consistent intervals. And I was just too excited to get the story and characters that were forming in my head "out there." So I apologize that the chapters/scenes seem very fast paced! Keep in mind that this is kind of now a "written comic" in regards to pacing. 
> 
> I'm currently planning 4 books, each composed of 10, 10(ish) page long chapters. I will be adding a chapter once every two weeks, likely on a Tuesday! 
> 
> I'm open to feedback and criticism, especially if something I write just doesn't seem kosher to the Avatar world. I want this to be as authentic as possible. Also, I'm the kind of writer that prefers to write an entire novel, and then edit it before letting ANYONE read it, so writing this piece chunk by chunk is kind of scary for me! 
> 
> Thanks again for reading!  
> -Jim Steele

Almost a hundred years ago, the newly united Earth Empire launched a devastating attack on Republic City using a powerful spirit weapon. Avatar Korra and her friends were able to stop the attack and bring Kuvira, the Earth Empire’s leader, to justice. After, the world entered an era of peace, and Republic City was rebuilt, and began to thrive due to the energy provided by the new spirit portal created during the attack.

The Water Tribes, concerned they were falling behind as the Fire and Earth nations progressed technologically due to their proximity with the thriving Republic City, decided to focus on using the spirit energy from the portals in the Northern and Southern Tribes to progress their own technology. Catching wind of the Tribes’ experimentation and fearing the production of a spirit weapon like the one used on Republic City, the Fire and Earth nations began weaponizing the spirit energy they collected from the Republic City Spirit Portal. 

The Air Nomads, keepers of peace, worried that the Fire, Water, and Earth nations were involved in a dangerous arms race and reported to The Avatar and The President of Republic City. Without proof of the production of spirit weapons, neither The President nor The Avatar could take action against any of the nations. Only when Air Nomad spies began to go missing during their search for spirit weapons did Avatar Korra take the matter into her own hands. 

Disguising herself at the Republic City spirit portal, Avatar Korra discovered the underground network that was selling spirit energy to the Fire and Earth Nations’ armies.A council was held between the representatives of the four nations, The President of Republic City, and The Avatar. The Nations argued that there were no laws against the harvesting and possession of spirit energy. Avatar Korra pushed to outlaw the possession of any spirit weapons, knowing the potential for their destructive power. The Fire, Water, and Earth Nations argued that they could not trust other nations to obey these laws, and the meeting concluded by only instating a limit to the number of spirit weapons a nation was allowed to possess. 

Months later, a disagreement arose when the Water Tribe refused to sell spirit energy to the Fire Nation, of which it had a surplus due to possessing two portals within its borders. Wanting to show the rest of the world that the Southern Water Tribe was just as powerful as the other nations, it used one of its spirit weapons on the Fire Nation. Innumerable lives were lost in the attack, and a large Fire Nation village was completely destroyed.

Fearing a global spirit bomb-war, Avatar Korra made the decision to use her energybending to seal the spirit portals as a last resort. Arriving at the final portal in the Northern Water Tribe, Korra had to seal herself inside the spirit world. With the closing of all the spirit portals, the spirit bombs weakened significantly and the war was averted.

With the bridge to the spirit world permanently shut, no one knew when Avatar Korra would pass, and when the next Avatar in the cycle would be reborn… 

Decades after Avatar Korra’s disappearance, the White Lotus finds a baby in the Earth Kingdom- the new avatar. Before the child is even old enough to begin his training, the Red Lotus, having grown powerful in the absence of an Avatar, assassinated the baby and his family. The White Lotus is blamed by the four Nations for being unable to complete its job of protecting The Avatar. 

When the next incarnation is discovered in The Fire Nation, the Air Nomads unite with The White Lotus to protect the baby. Unfortunately, The Red Lotus has continued to grow and defeats the defenders and assassinates the baby Avatar once again. After the battle, conflict arises within the Air Nomads. Some of the nomads wish to cease aiding the White Lotus since it has proved itself powerless against the now impregnable Red Lotus.

Losing hope, and wrapped up in a world of technological advances, the citizens of the world move on, forgetting much about life with spirits or an Avatar. 

Present day.

It has been just two years since the Air Nomads of the Southern Air Temple, who continued to support The White Lotus, revealed that they had been working with The White Lotus to train the new Avatar in secret. 

Avatar Jian, an Air Nomad, is now traveling the world as, without competition, the most popular celebrity. He stars in movies, graces talk shows and hosts Pro-Bending Matches. Hopefully, when the world needs him the most, he will be able to fill the shoes of the nearly-forgotten Avatars before him…


	2. -Book 1: Fire - Chapter 1: Warming Up-

In dim lighting, a man in flowing robes raises his hands in a graceful motion. A surge of water rises into the air.

“Water…”

He then bends his legs into a powerful stance, stomps his foot, and causes jagged stones to extend around him.

“Earth…”

Rising again, the man swiftly sends his palms outwards, creating a giant arc of flame soaring over his head.

“Fire…”

Finally, on light feet he steps in a small circle while gently rotating his arms. The air around him surges and spins, pulling him upwards and off of the ground.

“Air…”

Lights suddenly burst into life, revealing an announcer standing on a raised platform on the apron of a stage. A crowd was screaming and cheering, arms clawing crazily upwards as the robed man flew over their heads on a ball of air.

“Only The Avatar can master all four elements!” The announcer roared into his microphone.

The Avatar smiled and waved, sending refreshing gusts of air at his fans as he did so. One girl fainted from sheer excitement as the wind playfully mussed her hair. He rode the air back to the stage, landing gracefully next to the announcer just as his air ball ran out of momentum. His feet barely hit the stage before another bout of cheering erupted from the crowd.

 ~

This was what Rea and Shu saw on the television set as they watched the program from the living room of Rea’s suburban, United Republic home. The two of them sat on the edge of Rea’s couch. Elbows resting on their knees, heads resting on their hands. Rea’s golden eyes were wide open, her dark hair tucked neatly behind her ears to prevent any obstructing of her view of The Avatar. Shu wore a similar expression, his bright green eyes contrasted with his dark skin, his tightly curled hair was cut in an asymmetrical plateau above his head.

On the television screen The Avatar was handed the microphone. His grey eyes sparkled and his sandy, brown hair bounced and swayed perfectly, revealing only momentarily the blue arrow tattoo on his forehead. He wore a yellow short-sleeved shirt and matching pants. A red robe wrapped around one of his shoulders and billowed about his legs. White cloth tied with brown ribbon served as leg and arm wrappings and a wooden necklace with the Air Nomad insignia dangled from around his neck.

“Hello everyone!” The camera zoomed in on his features (getting an excited squeal out of Rea and Shu, as well as the entire audience.)

The Avatar waited for everyone to calm down before continuing to speak.

“I am Avatar Jian- and I wanted to announce that as a special surprise treat I will continue to host the Pro Bending semi-finals, with the next match in Republic City! I hope to see you all there!”

An explosion of sounds came from the audience, and Rea could swear she saw a girl try to climb up onto the stage before the screen cut to ticket order information. But it barely registered in her brain, as she was already up off of the couch and screaming alongside Shu.

“Can you believe this?!” Rea shouted, “Avatar Jian will be just an hour’s train ride from us!”

“Maybe he can teach me some sick earthbending choreography like from his scenes in last summer’s hit film _Avatar Jian vs The Rogue Badger Mole!_ ” Shu began shadow boxing around the living room, doing his best to reenact the scene.

“And he can teach me some firebending forms!” Rea exclaimed, beginning her own set of excited jabs and kicks.

“We just have to go to get tickets and-” Rea became too excited, one of her jabs produced a searing ball of flame that hurtled across the room and collided with the curtains. Had Shu not ducked, it would have been his hair.

Rea stood motionless, her fist still extended, as she watched in horror as her flames began to devour the curtain.

“Your mom is going to kill you!” Shu shouted.

“Well just don’t stand there!” Rea shouted back, “put it out!”

“Me?!” he said flapping his arms, “You’re the firebender!”

“What’s with all the shouting?!” Rea’s mother had appeared in the doorway, hands on her hips, apron on, and flour dusting her face. Her hair was done up in a messy ponytail. When her eyes caught sight of the curtain, they widened to at least three times their normal size, and the color of her face became even redder than the flames.

Shu leaned over and whispered in Rea’s ear, “I think it’s time for me to go, see you later!” before casually sliding his way out of the room.

“How many times have I told you?!” Rea’s mother shouted as she marched across the room and tore down the burning curtains.

“No bending in the house!” she enunciated each syllable with a stomp of her foot to smother the flames, “Do you know how many curtains I’ve gone through because of you and your bending?

“I’m sorry mom,” Rea explained as her mom opened the closet. Inside were shelves stacked with spare curtains. “I just got really excited because Avatar Jian- _The_ Avatar Jian- is coming to Republic City this week for the Pro Bending Semi-Finals and-”

“-So?” Rea’s mother cut her off with a snap of the new curtain, “You have school. You have homework to be doing. You should probably get a job to pay me back for all the curtains you’ve destroyed. You’re not going to waste more of your life on Pro Bending.”

“But-”

The new curtain was in place on the rod now. Rea’s mother scooped up the smoldering, tattered old ones and began to march back out of the room. She spoke with her back to Rea.

“The whole reason I let you join the school’s Pro Bending team is so you could get your need for bending out _there_ and not in my flammable house!”

Rea crossed her arms and fired back a retort.

“You barely let me practice at home!”

Rea’s mother stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and turned back around.

“How do you expect me to get better?" Rea said, "And you haven’t even come to watch any of my matches!”

“I’m busy all the time Rea! Keeping this house together- _by myself_!”

And with that, she turned around and went right into the kitchen, out of sight.

“So I shouldn’t expect you at my match tomorrow then?” Rea shouted after her, tears welling in her eyes.

Her mother only yelled back “It’s dinner time, hurry up before it gets cold.”

 ~

Later that night Rea was laying on her bed, her head dangling off the edge, with her Cabbage Phone pressed to her ear.

“She’s never going to let me go to Republic City. I’m lucky that I’m still on the Pro Bending team,” she said.

Shu’s voice came from the speaker, “You got chewed out that bad for the curtains?”

“Even worse, dinner was just awkward silence,” she said, “I wish she would just let me learn firebending.”

“You know firebending! You’re the best bender on our team!”

Rea sighed, “But I’m not good. We’re the worst team in our division. I learned bending from gym teachers and the internet- I need a master.”

“I heard your eye roll over the phone,” Shu jested, “But it’ll be okay. We’ll just do really well for the rest of the season, gain some hype, then your mom will see how much bending is to you.”

“Doesn’t matter how well we do, my mom wouldn’t be caught dead at a Pro Bending match.”

There was a series of sharp knocks on Rea’s bedroom door, followed by her mother’s voice.

“Rea! It’s time for bed. Get off your Cabbage Phone, you have school tomorrow!”

“Alright!” Rea shouted back, “Goodnight mom!”

Then, she whispered into the phone, “My mom is going to sleep, I’m going to try to fit in some last minute practice, see you tomorrow.”

After ending the call, Rea plugged her phone into the charger and crept quietly up to her door. She took her time turning her doorknob and opened the door just a crack so she could peer out into the hallway. Her mother’s door was shut.

At the end of the hallway was a set of stairs that led up to the attic. The space was unfinished wood, the ceiling slanting to make up the roof of the house. Cardboard boxes and old clothing trunks lined the walls. Rea opened one of the boxes and pulled out several charred and dismembered stuffed animals. She pulled a few boxes around the room and set the animals on top. Standing in the middle of her circle of stuffed animals on pedestals, she took a deep breath, and then released her frustration in the form of brilliant bursts of flame.

 ~

Rea leaned up against the lockers that lined the walls, tapping her foot. She was wearing a beat up Pro Bending uniform. Her arms were crossed over a pealing picture of a squirreltoad with the words “Unagi High School Sizzling Squirreltoads” written underneath.

“She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago,” Rea said.

“You know she runs late usually,” Shu said, lacing up the shoes of his own uniform.

The locker room door swung open and a girl with coffee colored skin entered. She had brown, wavy hair, and a thin braid held together by a single blue bead bounced against the side of her face as she walked. She wore a blue bellyshirt, complete with a hood, and brown denim shorts. Her arms were adorned with water-tribe bands.

“Sorry I’m late, I was finished up a test-” she began to put her bag down, but stopped when Rea stepped in front of her.

“You need to get here on time, Yasha,” Rea said sternly, “At least pretend to take this team seriously.”

“I just told you,” Yasha said, putting her face inches from Rea’s, “I was taking a test. Maybe if you focused on your grades more and didn’t expect to land a career by being on the crappiest high school Pro Bending team I’ve ever seen-”

“Just get your gear on please!” Rea shouted, “We have to get out there.”

“The only reason I’m doing this is for the gym credit I couldn’t fit into my schedule,” Yasha said calmly,  “because I have too many academic classes. Little did I know that joining this team meant I was also signing up to become the laughing stock of the school.”

There was a tense moment of silence before Yasha brushed by Rea to get to her locker to change. Rea collapsed on the bench next to Shu.

“We’re 0 and 4…” she sighed.

“Don’t think about the past matches,” Shu replied, “Just focus on today, this match.”

Rea banged her head against the locker, “We’re not exactly off to a great start team-work wise…”

“Focus on this match,” Shu said again, “And about meeting The Avatar when he comes to Republic City, how about that?”

That comment made Rea crack a smile.

“Okay, we’ll fight our hardest this match, and then we’ll see The Avatar!” Rea stood.

“Good!” Shu said, also rising to his feet, “Now let’s get out there!”

“Yeah,” Yasha said, strapping on her helmet, “Let’s get this over with, I have a paper to write.”

The three of them exited the locker room and entered a large room with a high ceiling and bleachers on either side. The center of the room consisted of a large, raised platform that stood at about four feet high. Around the platform was a moat full of water. At a table set near the bleachers sat a boy in Earth Republic style clothing, a microphone was in front of him.

“Welcome everyone to another disappointing day at Unagi High!” the boy said, his voice coming from speakers that were situated at each corner of the room, “I hope the bending is better than our midterm grades! Eh? Eh?”

Yasha gave an audible sight.

“Looks like we’ve packed the house yet again,” she said as she indicated the whopping seven people sitting on their side of the stands. On the opposite side of the arena, the stands were packed with people holding banners and wearing T-shirts of the opposing team: The Radical Rabaroos.

When the announcer noticed Rea and her teammates climbing the stairs over the moat and onto the midline of the platform, he burst into dialogue.

“There they are everyone! The Sizzling Squirreltoads! The worst team in the division!”

One person clapped from their side. But the pathetic noise was drowned out by whooping and jeering by the Radical Rabaroos fans.

“You’d think our own announcer would give us a break,” Shu mumbled as their team took their place on the red side of the hexagonal platform.

Rea affirmed his statement with a “mhm” but was busy scanning their seven fans for the familiar face of her mother. Of course, she did not attend.

“Surprise…” She said under her breath as she got in position.

There were three zones on each side of the hexagonal platform, indicated by a metal grate that had water beneath it. In each zone were also several earth disc dispensers. Bending amo for Yasha and Shu respectively.

From a set of stairs on the opposite side of the midline, the opposing team, dressed in blue, stepped up onto their corresponding side of the hexagon.

“And there is the opposing team,” the announcer shouted, “The Radical Rabaroos!”

The crowd went wild. The Rabaroo team members waved to their fans.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Rea said through clenched teeth.

“Alright players, take your positions!”

At the left edge of the arena, Rea readied herself in a fighter’s stance opposite of the Rabaroo’s firebender. He smirked at her.

“Three…” The announcer yelled.

“Well,” the opposing firebender said, his black hair falling into his eyes from beneath his helmet, “Your team seems… cute.”

“Two...”

Rea just growled.

“One…”

A horn blared indicating the beginning of the match. All of the players instinctively leapt back to create distance between them and their opponents. All of the players except for the opposing firebender. He held his ground and instantly launched his fist forward, sending a ball of fire right at Rea.

She was fast though- before her feet touched the ground, she sent out a flurry of punches. One of her fireballs sliced right through her opponent’s, negating it. The rest peppered his chest, singeing his uniform and sending him stumbling back. One of his feet stepped over his grate, causing a buzzer to sound. He showed surprise on his face only briefly before he recomposed his furrowed-tough-guy expression. He would have to stay in zone two now. Rea smiled behind her fists that were guarding her face.

To Rea’s right, Yasha had narrowly deflected a blast of water from her opponent as Shu rolled underneath the earth disc that was launched at him.

Yasha began her retaliation, she raised her hands carefully, drawing water out of the grate in front of her. She then leaned her weight back, gathering the water in a ball in front of her.

Shu stomped his foot three times, causing three earth discs to pop out of the dispenser. He skillfully bended all of them in a complicated pattern around him and shot a wink at their seven fans.

Yasha was looking down, preparing to launch her projectile, when an earth disc sailed right through her carefully constructed ball of water, sending her tumbling into the next zone.

Shu fired all three discs forward at once with an over dramatic series of punches, he held his pose as the first two discs sailed past the opposing earth and water benders. The third one collided with the announcer’s table and exploded into a cloud of dust, causing the boy to dive for cover. He raised a yellow fan from beneath the table, indicating a penalty for bending out of bounds.

Shu smiled sheepishly at the announcer before being launched backwards by a combination of water and earth from the Rabaroos. He collided with Yasha, who had only just gotten to her feet, and the two of them tumbled off the back of the arena in a tangle of arms and legs.

As she was diving sideways under a fireball, Rea heard the “bing bing” indicating her teammates had been knocked out.

“Figures,” she mumbled while delivering a one-two punch combination. Her opponent was able to dodge them easily, but it gave Rea an opportunity to back up against her boundary for zone two.

The match was now one versus three. Rea stood ready as the three Rabaroos lined up on the midline.

“It looks like Rea is in a bit of a pickle!” The announcer hollered.

“Uh-oh, what now little Squirreltoad?” The firebender jested.

Rea just clenched her fists tighter and lowered them to the sides of her hips.

The three Rabaroos attack at the same time sending, earth, water, and fire simultaneously towards Rea. She thrust out both of her fists twisting them as they reached full extension. A massive fireball sizzled between the opponent’s projectiles.

The three attacks hit Rea just as her own fireball hit the Rabaroo’s waterbender. Rea was knocked, into zone three, her head spinning. But her fireball had enough force to lift the opposing waterbender off of his feet and drop him, smoking, in zone two.

“Wow! What a hit she took!” The announcer said as Rea shakily got to her feet, “And what a hit she gave back! Eh? Eh?”

“Take your time girl, it’s okay” The firebender jeered.

She was barely into position when the fire and earth rabaroo each sent another attack. Rea dove, sliding under the fireball and earth disc. As she did, the waterbender sent a blast of water at her. She stood while uppercutting, the fire around her fist evaporating the water with a hiss.

Wasting no time, Rea went on the offensive. She dropped to the ground again, narrowly missing another fireball, and swept her leg out. An arc of flame soared across the ring at knee level, forcing the opposing team to jump.

Using the momentum from the sweep, she stood, still spinning, and raised her other leg. She kicked, sending a larger-than average ball of flame at the Rabaroo firebender. Then, mustering up all of her strength, she continued to spin, shifted her weight, raised the other foot, and sent another blast after the first as she spun in midair.

“What is this ladies and gentlemen?!” The announcer bellowed.

The first blast the Rabaroo tried to block, crossing his arms in an “x.” The force sent him sliding backwards into zone 2, right into his waterbending teammate. The second blast hit him hard enough to knock him spinning, struggling to retain his balance as he bounced off his teammate.

“Look at her go everyone! The Squirreltoad’s firebender is, literally, on fire!”

Seizing the opportunity, Rea sent one last punch. Tunnel visioned on the Rabaroo firebender, she saw with glee as her fireblast knocked him past zone three and off the back of the platform. What she did not see was the earth disc and water blast that lifted her off her feet and sent her, head-over-heals, off the back of her own zone. She was still smiling even as she hit the water.

Her head broke the surface of the water in time for her to hear the announcer shouting “Knockout! That’s the match everybody! What an amazing play by Rea of the Squirreltoads! Too bad it wasn’t enough! Eh? Eh?”

Shu was standing on the edge of the moat, helmet off, hair still wet from his own fall from the ring. Rea reached out and grabbed his outstretched hand. 

“That was…” Shu said in awe, “amazing! I’ve never seen you play that well!”

“Thanks,” she said, taking off her helmet and letting her wet hair flop out.

“And sorry I screwed up,” he said, handing her a towel.

Rea grabbed it and began heading towards the locker room with Shu. They never stayed long after a match. Much to the dismay of their seven fans, they slunk into the locker room to avoid having to witness their opposing team be greeted with overwhelming praise and applause.

“What happened out there?” Rea asked, her hair growing into a giant poof as she attempted to dry it with the towel, “I was a little, you know, preoccupied, so I didn’t see you guys get knocked out.”

“Uh… well I was going to do this really cool move I had been working on...” Shu said as he opened the door to the locker room.

Yasha flew out of the locker room just as the door opened, already dressed, with her bag slung over her shoulder. She collided with Rea, knocking her to the ground.

“Leaving already?” Rea snapped as she got back to her feet. Her body was extremely sore from the match, and an extra tumble was the last thing her bruised butt needed.

“Sorry, but I told you,” Yasha said slinging her bag higher onto her shoulder, “I have a paper to write.”

“Do you even care that we lost the match?” Rea said, the girls’ noses now inches from each other.

“Uh, ladies, ladies, let’s not-” Shu began.

“Shut up!” Yasha and Rea both snapped at him simultaneously.

Rea turned back to face Yahsa, “You complain about being the worst team but you barely show up to practice, you come to our matches late, and you bend like you couldn’t give two ratmonkey’s asses if we win or lose!”

“I told you,” Yasha said, her voice a low rumble in her throat, “I have to go write a paper.”

And with that, she flicked her hand, bending the water in Rea’s hair. Her black locks swung, and hit her in the face with a resounding “slap.” By the time Rea had clawed the hair out of her eyes, Yasha was already strutting across the arena towards the exit on the other side.

“I’m gonna light her hair on fire,” Rea said as she began to walk after her.

“Rea no!” Shu yelled, reaching up to grab Rea’s shoulder.

Both of them were stopped in their tracks by the announcer, who had suddenly appeared and put one arm around Shu and the other around Rea.

“Hello Squirreltoads!” He said cheerily, “Mind if I interview you guys for a bit, eh? As you know in addition to being our schools Pro-Bending referee and announcer, I am also on our school’s newspaper.”

Rea tense up at his awkward touch, “Hong, If you’re writing style is anything like your announcing style, I don’t think the Squirreltoads will benefit.”

She delicately plucked his sleeve with her pointer finger and thumb and lifted it off of her shoulders.

“Oh come on!” Hong pleaded, “That play you did was amazing! And no one at our school was even around to see it!”

“That is true,” Shu mentioned, “it might get us a bigger crowd next match if the announcer writes an article about how amazingly you perform?”

Rea looked at Shu, he was using his goofy grin to try to get her to oblige. His eyes were screwed shut, and his mouth opened wide, showing off almost all of his teeth.

Unfortunately, her spat with Yasha, and having to suffer yet another loss, kept Rea from feeling up to the interview.

“No, sorry,” she said with a sigh, “I’m just not feeling it.”

And with that, she pushed forward into the locker room, Shu close at her heels.

“Why not?” Shu asked as the door closed behind them, “I did the smile!”

Rea had already thrown her helmet to the ground and was not in the process of tearing off her shoes and leg guards.

“I’m just frustrated,” she snapped, “We’ve lost every game this season. I was so excited to be able to Pro Bend- my mom finally let me this year- the seniors graduated leaving the spots on the team wide open, and we suck. I mean, I feel like I’m the only one trying, Yasha is so focused on properly executing her forms and you are concerned with showing off for a crowd that we don’t even have-”

Rea caught herself, her last words hanging heavy in the air between her and her best friend.

“I’m sorry-” She immediately began.

“No,” Shu interrupted her this time, “You’re right. I learned all my bending from action movies. I’d rather do something fancy and lose than look like I’m trying and... well, still lose. But my “something fancy” today was probably worse than anything I could have done while actually trying…”

Shu was almost knocked over by the flying hug Rea gave him.

“I don’t deserve you as a friend,” she said, breaking the hug.

“Hey, we still have one match left,” he said smiling, “And if you play again like you did today, you might be able to win singlehandedly.”

Rea could not hold back her smile.

“Well, we’ll see if The Avatar can inspire us, how about that?”

At the mention of their plans, Shu went into a frenzy.

“Yes!” He shouted, shadow boxing around the locker room, “Avatar Jian will teach me how to be the sickest Earthbender in our division! Maybe he’ll show me the move from his movie-”

He tripped over his own feet, crashing into the lockers.

Rea could not help but laugh, “Alright, but first we’ll ask him to teach you basic footwork.”

Shu, sprawled upside down against the row of lockers, just gave his signature smile.

 ~

In the northern region of the Earth Republic, a man looked out over a mountain range. Next to him stood a smaller man. The wind whistled.

“At the semi-finals, we strike,” the first man said in a gruff voice. And then he laughed, a deep, guttural laugh that echoed out over the mountains.

 

 


	3. -Book 1: Fire - Chapter 2: Into The City-

Rea and Shu paid for their lunches at the register and looked for an open space to sit in the cafeteria.

“There looks good,” Rea said, pointing with her chin at a smaller table off to the side of the room.

Shu just nodded, his face already stuffed full of fries.

As they walked, Rea heard someone shout from behind them. She looked out of instinct, but as her head swiveled, she knew she would have been better off ignoring it.

A table of their classmates was giggling at one boy who had stood up on his chair. He was holding a handful of ketchup packets.

“Look! I’m the Squirreltoad’s firebender!” He shouted as he squeezed the ketchup. The red condiment squirted out and splattered all over his table-mate’s face. The ketchup-covered boy toppled over, laughing too hard to care that he had experienced the brunt of the "firebending."

Rea could feel her hands growing hot as she gripped tighter onto her tray.

“Rea,” Shu said, choking down his fries, “Don’t do anything stupid. You know you’ll get suspended if you bend in school.”

“Yeah, well some things are worth it,” she said, looking for somewhere to put down her tray.

“Not this week!” Shu said, “Think of the semi finals!”

Rea grunted and allowed Shu to lead her to the table they had picked out. Their classmates continued to laugh as they walked away.

“They’re such idiots,” Rea said as she slammed her tray down on the table, “If they knew how I played yesterday they wouldn’t be laughing.”

“So you’re up for that interview then, eh, eh?” In one swift motion, Hong had pulled up a chair at their table.

“How did you...?” Shu said, looking around to see where he had come from.

Rea flopped down in her chair, “No, Hong. I still don’t want to be interviewed.”

To emphasize the finality of her decision, she took the biggest bite of sandwich as possible.  

Hong frowned, then turned to Shu.

“So how about you, Squirreltoad earthbender? Got any commentary about yesterday’s match?”

But before Shu could answer, the table of boisterous trouble makers from earlier suddenly erupted in laughter again.

Rea turned to see the boy who had sprayed the ketchup standing over a brown-haired freshman who was on the ground. Salad was scattered all around the boy on the floor. Over his yellow button-down, he wore a short orange cloth around his shoulders that fastened at the elbows. Rea recognized it as an Air Nomad garment, something that was rarely seen in the United Republic.

“You gonna eat your leaves? Bet you worked up an appetite riding a bison to school huh?” The ketchup-boy’s words were enough to bring tears into the freshman’s eyes.

Before Rea even knew what she was doing, she had walked over to the ketchup boy’s table, picked up one of the trays of food, and slammed it down onto his head. He crumpled to the ground amidst the burger patty and buns that had been on the weaponized tray. The entire table fell silent.

“You guys are disgusting,” Rea said to them, sliding the tray back onto the table.

Shu had made his way over now, and was pulling the freshman to his feet.

“Are you okay?” Rea asked the boy in the Air Nomad clothing.

He brushed off his orange cloth carefully and nodded.

“Rea!” A stern voice said from behind her.

“Mr. Tikaani?! Aw man…” Rea mumbled as her history teacher marched over. He had lunch duty this period. Mr. Tikaani was a tall man, dressed in a blue suit that had white trim reminiscent of Water Tribe design.   

“Did you just strike another student?” He asked.

“Uh, I didn’t bend though?” She said weakly in defense.

“Did you not see what this kid,” Shu indicated ketchup-boy who was still on the ground, rubbing his injured head, “was doing to- uh, what’s your name?”

“Yonten…” The boy mumbled.

“This guy knocked Yonten onto the floor and was making fun of him for being an Air Nomad!” Shu said.

“Well,” Mr. Tikaani said, “all I saw was Rea knocking a boy over the head with a lunch tray-”

“I don’t do that kind of stuff for fun!” Rea said, raising her voice. Most of the cafeteria was watching them now with hushed voices and wide eyes.

“Tell him Yonten!” Rea said to the still watery-eyed boy.

He only stood there though, staring at his feet, still trying to hold in his tears.

“Principal’s office,” Mr. Tikaani said, “Now.”

And then he turned on his heel and began to walk away, expecting Rea to follow. She sighed and gave a half-smile of defeat to Shu before beginning her journey to the main office.

~

“You’re grounded Rea!” Her mother had began shouting before Rea even shut the front door.

“Let me explain first, please!” Rea begged, dropping her backpack on the ground. Her mother was standing in the living room, arms crossed, hair dishevelled as always.

“Explain what? You attacked another student!”

“Did the principal tell you why I did it?!”

The silence was enough of an answer for Rea.

“There was an Air Nomad boy,” Rea said, “These idiots were picking on him, he was on the ground about to cry. They were saying really nasty stuff so I stepped in- the teacher’s weren’t helping. And I didn’t even bend!”

“That’s not the point!” Rea’s mom said, rubbing a hand against her forehead, “The point is you just got in trouble at school. And your grades already aren’t that great-”

“Did you want to know how my match went yesterday?” Rea cut her off, “Because you didn’t ask.”

Rea’s mom’s mouth suddenly went taunt, forming a thin, pink line across her face.

“Bringing this back to Pro Bending? Is that all you can think about, Rea? Well guess what? No Pro Bending practice this week, and forget about going to Republic City for the Semi Finals. You’re going to catch up on all the school work that you’ve been neglecting.”

Rea’s stomach churned. Not going to the Semi Finals was not an option. How many chances was she going to get to see Avatar Jian in person? And there was only one match left in her season. She had to do well this game or she would have to wait months before getting another chance to show the school she was worth something.

“Mom, that’s not-” Rea had to take a minute to figure out how she was going to communicate all the racing thoughts in her head, “I have to practice-”

“Too bad.”

“-and going to the Semi Finals is such a great opportunity-”

“You’ll have more opportunities.”

“-Mom!”

“I’m not going to talk about it anymore,” She said as she headed into the kitchen. Rea ran after her.

“Mom, what would you have rather me do? Let those kids keep ranking on the Air Nomad?”

“Well,” Her mother said, going back to the counter where she had been preparing the evening’s dinner, “fighting other people’s battles just gets you in trouble. You have enough to worry about. Just focus on yourself, Rea.”

Maybe it was the tone of her voice, but in that moment, Rea suddenly saw the slump in her mother’s shoulders, the bags under her eyes. She was still wearing the clothes and name tag from her data entry job in Republic City.  Rea noticed these things sometimes, usually when one of their arguments got particularly nasty. Then guilt would overcome her for arguing with the woman that was raising and providing for her by herself. She hated arguing with her mother, but it was hard abiding by her rules.

“Okay, Mom,” Rea said quietly. She lost the desire to argue. But that did not mean she would not find some way to get to the Semi Finals and fit in some bending practice.

Rea went to the cabinet, grabbed two plates, and began setting the small table for dinner, the heavy feeling still in the pit of her stomach.

~

“So how much money have you got?” Rea asked Shu as they walked down the hall towards the cafeteria.

“Not enough for a ticket. Maybe enough for the train fare…” His cheeks flushed red. There was always trouble when Rea and Shu wanted to do something that cost money, as neither of them usually had spending money. But Shu had it worse, he usually only had enough to buy a side of fries at lunch. He would never take Rea's food though, even when she offered.

“Hm,” Rea pondered, “I have a bit saved up from when I worked at Noodle House over the summer, it might be enough to get us some nosebleed seats. I’m just nervous it’s sold out by now.”

“Hey, worst case scenario,” Shu said, “we can just take a trip to Republic City to try to run into Avatar Jian after the Semi Finals are over? You'd still have to find a way to get out without your mom knowing.”

“Is that Yonten?” Rea asked, changing the subject as she noticed the bright yellow and orange clothing. Already there was a snaking line where lunch was being served. Across the room, at the table Rea and Shu sat at the day before, was Yonten, delicately picking at his salad.

“I forgot to tell you,” Shu said, “After you went to the office I let him eat lunch with me and told him he could sit with us from now on. I mean, we’re not much of an upgrade considering we’re constantly the center of ridicule, but I guess it might be better than eating alone. Let’s let him know we’ll be over after we grab our food.”

The two made their way to the brightly-dressed Air Nomad boy. Rea noticed how small he looked in the hustle of teenage bodies moving about the cafeteria. His robe flapped as his arm moved around to poke pieces of lettuce with his fork.

“Hi Yonten!” Shu said. Instantly, Yonten’s face lit up. The smile was contagious, and Rea found herself grinning as well.

“Hi guys!” He chirped.

“This is Rea,” Shu said, “I don’t think you guys formally met with all the chaos yesterday.”

Yonten bounced out of his chair, “Thank you thank you!” he said to Rea, bowing awkwardly a few times, “That was really kind- what you did yesterday. I’m sorry I got you in trouble…”

“No, it’s fine,” Rea said, “Really. The teachers should have done something for you.”

“Eh,” He said, sitting back down to distract himself with his salad, “Most of them don’t really want to get involved. Air Nomads don’t fit in very well in the United Republic, especially ones that show off their culture.”

He indicated the robe around his shoulders.

“Well that’s idiotic,” Rea said, “The Air Acolytes did so much for Republic City!”

“You paid attention in history class?” Shu asked Rea, impressed.

Rea gave Shu a quick elbow to the stomach.

“Let’s grab something to eat," she said, "We’ll be right back, Yonten.”

Shu and Rea got in the now dwindling lunch line.

“I hope there’s fries left,” Shu said, craning his neck to look past the people in front of them.

“Are Air Nomads really treated that badly in Republic City?” Rea asked, “I thought people loved them because of Avatar Jian?”

“Er, I mean, you don’t really see much _authentic_ Air Nomad culture. That’s considered archaic by a lot of people,” he picked up a container of fries and eagerly shoved some in his mouth, despite the warning look from a very large cafeteria woman.

“Oh,” Rea said simply, grabbing a tray of mystery meat.

The two of them paid and went back to their seats to find Hong sitting uncomfortably close to Yonten with a pad and paper.

“Really? You’re interviewing him?” Rea asked, raising an eyebrow. She and Shu sat on either side of the interview taking place.

Yonten looked more uncomfortable than usual.

“Sh,” Hong said, turning back to Yonten, “So why did your father give up his Air Nomad culture in favor of Republic City? Eh? Eh?”

“Seriously Hong?” Rea snapped, “Let this kid eat his lunch instead of publishing his personal info in the student newspaper. He’s clearly not okay with this.”

“Yeah, go interview the table of jerks from yesterday to ask them why they’re… jerks,” Shu added.

Hong awkwardly thanked Yonten for his time, before marching off across the cafeteria to find another hard hitting story.

“Nice one,” Rea said in response to Shu’s previous line.

“I’m not good at insults, you know that,” Shu was already half way through his fries.

“I wouldn’t let Hong interview you,” Rea said to Yonten, “He’s more of a gossiper than an actual reporter. And your business is your business.”

“It’s okay,” Yonten said, “I didn’t really mind. He was curious about why Air Nomads are leaving the temples to come to Republic City to work.”

“Are a lot of them doing that?” Shu asked, pouring out the last crispy bits of potato from the bottom of the fry container.

“Yeah,” Yonten said, “a lot of the Air Nomads get pissed if you leave. I didn’t want to leave though, I wanted to continue learning airbending and helping people. But my parents came here to work and be 'part of society.' They don’t even know I still try to dress like an Air Nomad, I change right when I get to school.”

“That seems pretty selfish of them,” Rea said, giving up on trying to get her fork through a cube of the mystery meat.

Yonten shrugged, “People here don’t understand Air Nomad culture very well. They think it’s weird. My parents don’t have as much trouble fitting in though, they dress like the other city people. But, uh, I got something for you guys actually. For what you did yesterday.”

He fished around in the pockets of his pants and produced an envelope. He handed it to Rea, who opened it curiously. Two tickets for the Pro Bending Semi Finals fell out onto the table. Rea and Shu simultaneously turned to stare at Yonten, mouths agape.

“After you went to the office,” Yonten explained, “Shu let me finish my lunch with him. He said how much you guys wanted to go to the Semi Finals. So I asked my dad for some tickets- he actually works for the publicity department of the arena they’re holding it at, so he didn’t have much trouble getting them. I think he was actually excited that I was interested in something modern instead of moping about having to move. They’re not the best seats but-”

He was cut off by a hug from Rea that almost knocked him out of his chair.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” She shouted loud enough to cause a couple of heads to turn towards them. Shu was still just sitting, mouth hanging open, in shock.

“No problem!” Yonten said, his voice smothered by Rea’s embrace.

~

On the morning of the Semi Finals, Rea, in her Tenacious Turtleduck T-shirt, was packing a drawstring bag for her trip into the city. Although it was a Sunday, Rea’s mother would be spending most of the day running errands. Rea just had to get out of the house undetected. She swung the bag over her shoulders as she heard a ‘click’ from the window.

When she walked over, another pebble flew and struck the glass. This was a signal she and Shu had used since they were younger. She slid open the window, and this time, a larger rock with something tied to it thudded onto the floor.

Rea undid the string, unrolled the piece of paper, and saw that Shu had scrawled in neat handwriting “ _Avatar Jian: Prison Break, Scene 5_.” She smiled, (that was one of her favorites) and took a few steps back to give herself space. She ran across her room and sprung through the open two-story window.

A rock ramp had appeared beneath the window, and Rea’s sneakers slid down the smooth surface. The ramp curved up at the end, and Rea spun into a backflip as she was launched into the air. Just like in the movie, she landed in a soft patch of dirt, sinking in instantly up to her waist. Right after she landed, she heard clapping.

“Very nice dismount,” Shu said, coming into view. He stomped his foot, causing Rea to pop out of the earth.

“Thank you sir,” she took a bow, and Shu used a quick move of his arms to bend the excess dirt off of her jeans, “You picked one a good movie!”

“I figured I would pick a good one for a special occasion!” He began carefully earthbending the ramp back down into the ground, moving his hands slowly downwards to be as quiet as possible. The ground in Rea's backyard had already been tarnished from countless fire and earthbending playdates between her and Shu, so her mother would never notice another addition to the mess.

“So uh, how are you going to make sure your mom doesn’t check on you if she gets home early from shopping?” Shu asked.

“You know in those movies,” Rea said as they began to walk around the house and towards the sidewalk, “where the kid need to sneak out so they fill their bed with stuffed animals and then, like, awkwardly put some fake hair or something on the pillow?”

“Yeah.”

“Well you can also just like… you know, lock your door and turn off the lights,”  
Rea spoke as if she was explaining a scientific theory, “If you knock on someone’s door and they don’t respond and the lights are off, they’re probably taking a nap. And you’d be a complete jerk if you kept knocking on someone’s door when they were trying to take a nap”

“And you think your overbearing mother would simply let you sleep?” Shu asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Rea opened her mouth to respond, and then paused, defeated.

“Let’s just make sure we get back soon,” She said instead.

~

The train station was only a ten minute walk from Rea’s house, but there was already a throng of people filing on. Most were wearing Pro Bending gear representing their famous team. Rea and Shu had to walk through several cars just to find two open seats. They both plopped down as the train began to move, the excitement becoming more real now that they were on their way to the city.

“Let’s document this moment, shall we?” Shu said, taking out his camera. The camera was Shu’s prized possession, probably the most expensive thing he owned.

Rea posed happily in front of the window, while buildings and trees zoomed by behind her.

“It’s a video, Re,” he said, laughing.

“Well you could have told me that!” Rea said breaking the pose.

Shu turned the camera to point at himself, “This is Shu and Rea reporting from the train on the way to Republic City! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and have we got a hell of a Pro Bending match coming up!”

As the train neared the city, the buildings became larger. Shu made sure to snap several pictures, many of which included Rea making goofy faces in the foreground.

When the train pulled into the Republic City station, Rea and Shu found themselves being pushed and pulled off the train and down the street by the mass of excited people. The energy of the crowd was intense. Shu snapped pictures left and right while Rea cheered along with her fellow Pro Bending fans on their journey to the arena.

The streets leading up to the arena had been shut down. Police cars lined the roads and officers in their metal-vested uniforms monitored the scene.

“Holy-” Shu said, raising his camera. Above the heads of the members of the crowd, the Pro Bending arena could be seen. Rea had seen it on television countless times, but this was the first time she was getting to see it in person. The building looked like a palace, a giant archway with jutting turrets marked the main entrance. Towers rose from every corner of the structure. A giant glass dome was in the center of the arena, the glass catching the sun’s rays.

The building itself was built on a giant peer surrounded by water. Fans and vendor carts packed almost every inch of available space outside the arena. Carts sold food, team shirts and hats, and Avatar Jian merchandise. Ticket scalpers awkwardly walked around, whispering to anyone who wandered too close.

“This is amazing!” Rea said as they made their way onto the pier.

“My camera is happy,” Shu said, still taking in the scene from the camera's viewfinder.

“Wait,” Rea said, suddenly looking around, “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Shu lowered his camera away from his face.

Right next to the entrance of the arena, a group of men and women in yellow and orange T-shirts were holding signs and shouting. Most of the signs had the Pro Bending symbol and the Air Nomad symbol intertwined, the rest of the signs had the slogan that the group was shouting over and over:

“It’s not fair! Include air! It’s not fair! Include air!”

One passerby threw an empty soda can at them. Other than that, no one seemed to pay the group much attention.

“Airbenders are still trying to get into Pro Bending?” Rea asked, “I haven’t heard any of the sports network mention protests for a while.”

“I think reporters just got bored of reporting it,” Shu said shrugging, “The Pro Bending League doesn’t want to restructure the entire game, and they have been clear about that. There hasn't been anything new to report.”

The yellow and orange of the protesting airbenders made Rea think about Yonten.

“Maybe if airbenders were accepted into Pro Bending it would help how the people of the city view them?” Rea suggested.

The giant double doors that led inside the arena were held open. Two security guards stood at either one, arms crossed, eyeing everyone that entered.

“Eh,” Shu said as they passed security, “I think there would have to be a little more than Airbenders in Pro Bending for that to happen.”

Rea presented their tickets at a turnstile and an usher pointed them towards the entrance to their section. The inside of the building was lined with a large hallway with doorways that led to the arena itself. The floor was a plush red carpet, and the walls were lined with ornate light fixtures that shone gold.

“Section J” Rea said, pointing to a sign over a door, “this is it.”

The arena was already packed with fans. The red and blue hexagonal playing area was in the center, raised up over a giant pool of water. Two referee stands were hung above either side of the arena, with the light-up score tubes standing against the far wall of the pool. The glass dome and ornate windows let in natural light from above, but extra light was provided by a giant glass orb hung directly below the dome. Rea and Shu followed the dotted aisle lights to their seats.

“This is amazing!” Rea gasped, “Yonten said the seats were alright, but this is great! I’ll be able to see the Tenacious Turtleduck’s firebender great from here!”

Shu was changing out the battery to his camera, “This is it Rea! We made it!”

When all the seats were filled and the arena air was overcome by the smell of vendor hot dogs, the lights dimmed. The noisy crowd fell silent.

“Are you ready Republic City?!” an announcer’s voice exploded from the sound system.

The crowd responded with deafening cheers. Rea and Shu were right along with them, jumping out of their seats, hands raised over their heads, shouting as loud as they could, even though they could not even hear their own voices due to the volume of those around them.

“Then here is your host of the evening, Avatar Jian!”

The crowd managed to roar even louder as some of the glass panels in the dome opened. A yellow and orange blur flew into the arena, pointed out by a spotlight. Avatar Jian, his hair blowing wildly, was flying in circles on a glider with a red and blue wing, each one emblazoned with the Pro Bending insignia. He was wearing a bright yellow tuxedo, complete with orange shirt and a blue tie that matched the color of his tattoos. A wooden Air Nomad necklace hung around his neck. He flew and spun in circles over the crowd.

“Avatar Jian everybody!”

The Avatar did a few loop the loops before finishing his last lap and descending onto the middle of the hexagon. The spotlight narrowed its beam as he picked up the microphone.

“Hello Republic City!”

More cheering. The Avatar chuckled and waited for the crowd to die down.

“Welcome to The Republic City Pro Bending Arena! We have a great match today, the Tenacious Turtleducks will be facing off against the Astounding Armadillolions! But before we get the battle underway, I have a quick announcement to make! As you all know, there have been a lot of people from my culture who have wanted to be a part of Pro Bending. The League members, trying to accommodate everyone’s best interests, have agreed to sponsor a new sports league- specifically for Airbenders, called Airball! This is a game of speed, dexterity, and agility- and you all will have the honor of watching me participate in the first match, live, as a pre-show in the Pro Bending Finals!”

The crowd exploded again.

“Wow, a new sport!” Rea said, “I’ve never heard of Airball before?”

“I think I remember it from a history class when we were going over Air Nomad culture,” Shu said, his finger going crazy on the button of his camera, “But I wonder how the protesters are going to feel about it.”

“Now,” Avatar Jian continued, “Let’s get this match underway! Introducing your Earth Republic Team: The Astounding Armadillolions!”

The crowd clapped and hooted as a motorized elevator brought the team to the hexagon.

“And the opposing team from The Fire Nation: The Tenacious Turtleducks!”

Rea and Shu hollered with the rest of the Turtleducks fans as their favorite team rode the elevator to the hexagon.

“Hope to see you all at the Finals!” Avatar Jian said, suddenly sprinting across the Arena, glider in hand.

“Benders in position!” he shouted as he jumped. His glider snapped open, and he spiraled gracefully into one of the special seating boxes for sponsors and celebrities.

“Three!” The announcer blared as both teams took their positions.

“Two!” The crowd was completely silent.

“One!” Rea felt her heart pounding in her chest.

“Go!”

The teams appeared to move in slow motion. The Armadillolion’s entire team immediately launched into an offensive position. The Turtleduck’s firebender fell back behind her teammates, who defended against the enemy’s concussive blasts with swift motions of water and earth.

“It looks like the Armadillolions have targeted the Turtleduck’s heavy hitter right from the start!” The announcer shouted, “But Zosa’s teammates are not missing a beat!”

The Turtleduck’s worked in perfect synchronization, earth and waterbenders blocking shots for the Zosa, who was sending out blast after blast of brilliant red flames at the opponents. She did not even flinch when an earth disk was shattered by a blast of water just inches from her head.

“It’s amazing,” Rea whispered, “they know each other so well.”

“Nothing like our team,” Shu said. He had switched his camera to record video and had zoomed in on the Turtleduck’s precise movements.

Zosa landed a hit, knocking the opposing firebender back into zone two. Rea cheered along with the rest of the Turtleducks’ fans, adrenaline pumping by the excitement of the match.

~

“Yes!” Rea shouted as her and Shu walked back outside to the pier, “Did you see that final knockout by Rosa?!”

She threw some punches into the air and then did a swift kick.

“Knockout!” Shu said, mimicking the voice of the announcer.

The crowd was partaking in post game celebrations. The fans of the Turtleducks were toasting with soft drinks and hugging each other. One girl in a Armadillolion T-shirt was crying openly.

“And I got it all recorded!” Shu said indicating his camera.

“Let’st see if we can run into Avatar Jian, he must be getting ready to do an autograph signings or a meet and greet or- Oh!” Rea noticed a vendor cart full of Avatar Jian merchandise.

“But first I want a necklace like Avatar Jian’s!” Rea said walking towards the cart.

“Stop the cultural appropriation of Air Nomad culture!” A  blue-haired woman said, stepping right in front of Rea’s path towards the cart. She looked to be in her twenties. She wore a modern Water Tribe tunic underneath a short, black jean jacket. Dark, thick glasses hung on the bridge of her nose. A sign was in her hand that read “Don’t Commodify a Culture.” There were only a handful of people like her walking around the cart with similar signs. Two of them appeared to be in the midst of being escorted away by police.

“Cultural what?” Rea asked.

“Appropriation,” The woman said, trying to ignore Shu who was blatantly taking her picture, “Avatar Jian is making Air Nomad clothing a fad- a culture that prides itself on resisting the desire for acquiring material possessions. Buying something from this cart is a slap in the face to an entire culture.”

“Look lady,” Rea said, “I respect your opinion and all but if I want to buy-”

There was a flash of purple light. Rea heard several loud booms as she was launched off of her feet and onto the ground. Her ears rang from the noise as she tried to see what was happening around her. Scream. Scampering feet. Pieces of debris falling around her. Shu was next to her, a stunned look on his face. Shakily, she got to her feet. There were people on the ground all around her, protesters’ signs splintered and smoking.  

Then she saw two people, a boy and girl, in sleek, skintight black suits running through the crowd. Thinking fast, she wound up and threw a punch. The people in black jumped as they fled, kicking off the ground in a burst of air. Wings shot from the back and legs of their suits, but Rea’s fireball connected with one of the leg wings of the fleeing girl, causing her to fall right back to the ground, hard.

“Shu,” Rea shouted as the boy in black gained altitude, “ _Jian and the Rogue Dragon Toads_ , scene 7.”  

Understanding immediately, Shu slammed both of his fists into the ground. A square of cement underneath Rea popped out of the ground, sending her catapulting into the air. She spun as she rose, gathering fire around her foot as she snapped her leg. An arc of flame sliced through the air- and through the back wing of the boy’s suit. He spiraled downward, back smoking, and slammed into the ground a few feet in front of the girl.

The police arrived almost before Rea hit the ground. Several of the metal-clad officers bound the mysterious Airbenders with their metal chords, others tended to the wounded who were strewn around the scene of the explosion. The rest were busy ushering screaming people away from the scene

“What happened here?” An officer with the yellow decorations of a chief was pointing his fist at Rea and Shu, preparing to attack.

“Woah woah,” Shu said, raising his hands, “We just stopped those guys from getting away.”

“I’m Police Chief Harshul,” He said, still not lowering his hands, “I’m going to need you to tell me _exactly_ what you saw here.”

“Harshul!” a voice shouted from afar. An angry looking young man in a blue fur-lined vest and black long sleeved shirt was pushing his way through the crowd. In the distance, plumes of smoke could be seen from different parts of the pier.

“Amarok?” the Chief of Police said, “I’m in the middle of something.”

“Get off me!” The woman who had been protesting was prying herself out of the grip of one of the officers who had helped her up.

“Atka?” Amarok said, as he noticed the woman, “What are you doing here?”

“You know this protester?” Harshul asked Amarok.

“Yes, it’s my sister,” Amarok said.

“She’s one of the protestors making my officers’ days miserable! I don’t know when Pro Bending became a political rally,” Harshul snorted.

“Well,” Amarok snapped, “It’s no wonder your officers can’t handle protesters, since they certainly couldn’t stop the rogue Airbenders from getting into Avatar Jian’s dressing room! I never thought I would say it, but I'm thankful the White Lotus was there.”

“Why wouldn’t we protest here?” Atka shouted at her brother, “It’s _your_ client that’s screwing up how the world views Airbender culture!”

“My “client” is The Avatar, Atka! Who almost died today thanks to our 'great' police force.”

“Hey!” Rea stomped her foot and showered the ground with hissing embers to get everyone’s attention. They became silent.

“What’s going on here?” She asked sternly, crossing her arms. Despite her being at least a head shorter than the three, she still managed to sound intimidating.

“The Police Chief of Republic City nearly got the Avatar assassinated,” Amarok mumbled.

Harshul shot him a warning glance before explaining.

“There was a security breach. A terrorist group that calls itself The Lung Ta managed to plant and detonate bombs all around the arena- so if you could let us know what you saw, we would greatly appreciate it.”

“We didn’t see much,” Shu chimed in, “There was the explosion, we saw two people fleeing and Rea just reacted.”

Harshul noticed the camera around Shu’s neck.

“I’m going to need that camera for evidence.”

Shu’s hands instinctively shot up to grasp his prized possession, “What? Why, I didn’t take any pictures during the explosion.”

“But you were taking pictures all day, correct?” Harshul reasoned, “Your camera in addition to our security camera, we might be able spot the Lung Ta and learn how they succeeded in this attack.”

“Uh,” Shu sad apprehensively.

“Look, kid,” Harshul said, “I’m taking the camera whether you let me or not. All I need to do is copy the files back at headquarters- if you want to, you two can come along and take it back when I’m done, but I’m leaving now, with the camera.”

“We should go with him,” Rea said to Shu, “a lot of people were hurt, we should be cooperative to help them stop these guys- even if this guy does have the social skills of a badgermole.”

“I’m going to ignore that comment,” Harshul said while plucking his radio from his belt. He spoke into it, “I’m going to need a car back to HQ.”

“Amazing, just amazing!” The announcer from the arena suddenly appeared behind Rea. Half of his suit was charred, and his hair was a mess from the explosion.

“You getting this Kim?” He said to the camera woman who was now pushing her way between Amarok and Harshul to get a shot of Rea and Shu.

“Excuse me!” Harshul barked, “But we are in the middle of an investigation!”

“Yeah, yeah,” The announcer said, waving his microphone, “I just heard you said we got five minutes! Plenty of time for a quick interview with our local heroes!”

Rea and Shu stared awkwardly into the camera, overwhelmed by the sudden series of events.

“So tell me- that was some bending we saw today- what made you react so heroically?”

The microphone was shoved into Rea’s face. Harshul just rested his face in his hand and hoped the car would show up.

As Rea and Shu completed the impromptu interview, Atka pulled her brother aside.

“Why are you here?” Amarok asked.

“That’s not important right now,” his sister responded, “What is important is where the Lung Ta got those bombs.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re Air Nomad extremists,” Atka explained, “but they’re still Air Nomads. Do you think they would be able to whip up this kind of weapon? And a type of weapon that hasn’t been used in half a century?”

Amarok just narrowed his eyes.

“Looks like a brother and sister dinner is in need- it'll be on me,” Atka said with a smirk.

 

 


	4. -Book 1: Fire - Chapter 3: Firebending Scroll-

Fear and panic struck Rea as she and Shu were sitting in the back of a police car on the way home. She reached out and grabbed her friend’s hand while the passing streetlights took turns illuminating her terrified face. The face of someone who suddenly remembering something.

“My mother,” Rea whispered.

Shu was dropped off first. The kind police officer waved as Shu exited the car and walked towards the run-down apartment complex where he lived with his aunt. He gave Rea a worried smile before he departed, leaving her to sit in unbearable anticipation for a full ten minutes as the officer drove her to her house.

As if being driven home at night in a police car to an overbearing mother was not a bad enough situation, when Rea opened her front door she was met with the horrifying scene of her mother standing completely still, waiting for Rea with her arms crossed. The news was on the TV in the background recounting the day’s events.

“A series of explosions left 4 in critical condition and at least 20 injured at the Pro Bending Semi Finals this afternoon,” the announcer blared, “thanks to the timely and heroic actions of two young Pro Bending fans, the police were able to apprehend two of the terrorists.”

“Mom…” Rea’s voice was barely a squeak.

With a click, Rea’s mother turned off the television just as the news report cut to Rea and Shu’s interview.

“You think I make rules just to make them, Rea?” Her mom said with a tremor in her voice, as if any moment she could break down crying.

“I thought you were taking a nap when I got home. Can you imagine how terrified I was to see you on the news amidst a terrorist attack when I specifically told you that you could _not_ go?!”

“Well at least the nap thing worked,” Rea mumbled under her breath.

“What was that?” Rea’s mother said, her head swiveling forward.

“Did you see the part of the news where I captured two terrorists?” Rea asked, indicating the now black screen of the television, “if I wasn’t there they could have gotten away!”

“You could have been _killed_ Rea! You could have been one of the people too close to one of the explosions! You are not a police officer, you are not a White Lotus member, you have no business breaking _my_ rules, sneaking out of _my_ house, and risking _your_ life for things that do not concern you in the _least_. After your Pro Bending season is over, that’s it, you’re not doing it next year.”

“What?” Rea marched towards her mom, “how does that solve anything?”

“Bending ruined this family,” Her mother said in a whispering hiss, “Your father got into trouble because of his bending and I see you making the same mistakes. Neither of you know when to just stay out of things.”

“I love bending mom,” Rea said, trying to stay calm, “And you won’t even tell me what dad did that was so bad! He taught me what little bending he could before he left- I love firebending and I’m going to keep doing it whether you say I can or not!”

“You’re grounded. Grounded until I say you aren’t. And that means no bending!”

“I wish Dad took me with him wherever he went- or at least that he stayed and you left!”

What Rea said was something that she had kept deep within her. Something she did not allow herself think about, and certainly never say out loud. Until this moment, when she was pushed a little too far. And when she said it, there was the immediate feeling of regret for saying it, but unfortunately the damage had already been done.

Rea’s mother nodded, clearly trying to keep herself from falling to pieces.

“Go to your room.”

The voice of a dam ready to burst open.

Rea, shocked by her own words, turned, and ran up the stairs.She could hear her mother sobbing before she made it to the top.

~

There was no dinner that night. Instead, Rea just kept herself shut up in her room. She was mad at her mother for being mad, and was mad at herself for saying such a horrible thing. She considered calling Shu, but the thought of having to explain the argument with her mother- and having to tell someone else what she had said- made her feel sick.

Instead, when Rea was sure her that mother was asleep, she snuck off into the familiar space of the attic. Her hands were still shaking as she set up her stuffed animals around the room.

Her first punch sent a fireball through the head of a stuffed owl.

“Not letting me bend,” she said to herself.

A kick tore a bear in two.

“Not coming to my matches.”

A double fisted strike caused a cat to explode in a burst of flames.

“For me being the worst daughter.”

Rea’s entire arm was already engulfed in flame as she readied a punch. Her spine unwound like a whip as she snapped her fist forward. A torrent of flame engulfed three stuffed animals and the crates they were on and continued through the air. The mass of fire slammed into the far wall. There was the sound of splintering wood as the fireball popped a hole through the center of the two-by-fours.

Rea froze, fist still extended. A piece of charred wood swung and fell to the ground with a clatter. The edges of the hole were still glowing with embers. She held her breath for several moments, hoping the noise had not woken up her mother.

“Like I wasn’t in enough trouble,” Rea grunted and pressed a palm to her forehead when she decided her mother must have continued slumbering.

She kicked aside the smoking remains of a stuffed animal as she went to examine the damage.

“Oh man, this is going to need more than just spackle.”

The hole was chest high and a little bit larger than her head.

“Maybe I can pull something in front…” she turned her head, meaning to look for something to use to mask the hole when something in the wall caught her eye: a glimmer of reflected light.

She turned her hand palm-up and created a small flame. She stuck her hand into the hole, craning her neck to try to see what was inside. But the light of her flame only allowed her to make out the vague square shape.

“No good,” she mumbled. And, after only a brief moment of hesitation, began pulling at the remaining boards to widen the hole.

There now was enough room for Rea to get her upper body inside; her fingers grasped at cool metal. From the space in the wall she pulled out a heavy metal box, roughly the size of a loaf of bread. There were subtle flame designs etched into the metal, giving the illusion that the box was engulfed in fire. The lid was held shut by flame-shaped latch.

Rea knelt down and popped the latch with her thumb, allowing the lid to spring open. Paper documents filled the red, velvet-lined inside of the box. Most of them looked like housing deeds and bills, addressed to a family from the Fire Nation that she had never heard of. As she was shuffling through the papers, a polaroid fell onto the floor. She heard the breath catch in her throat: it was a picture of her parents holding a baby.

“That must be me,” she said, smiling at how happy they all looked, but quickly growing sad when she remembered that the way things were now were far from how they had been in the picture.

“Wait a minute…”

Rea had turned the picture over, on the back corner was scrawled a date.

“That’s two years before I was even born,” she said, mulling over the discrepancy, “whoever wrote this must be pretty bad at math.”

As she went to put the picture back, she noticed there was something underneath the rest of the papers, preventing them from lying flat in the box. She scooped the papers out and carefully set them down on the floor next to her. At the bottom of the box was a scroll, yellowed with age, and bound with a red ribbon.

Delicately, she lifted it from the box and untied the ribbon. The parchment crackled as she unrolled it, revealing a series of painted images: the human form going through several motions, with red painted flames moving in conjunction.

“A traditional firebending scroll,” Rea breathed.

~

“So you’re on lockdown?” Shu asked as they walked into school the next morning.

“I think I’d have more freedom if I was in Beifong prison,” Rea grunted.

“Maybe these will cheer you up,” he said, taking out his phone. With a few quick swipes of his thumb, he pulled up an album of pictures and videos from the previous day's adventure.

Rea grabbed the phone, cycling through the images excitedly. Shu had edited many of them, improving the lighting and color. They looked amazing: cityscapes, the ornate arena, and countless action shots of the Pro Bending match. She paused at one in particular. Zosa, fire erupting from her outstretched fist, as an earth disk was flying over her shoulder.

“These are amazing,” Rea breathed.

“Yeah, I was up all night,” Shu laughed, “I was too excited- and happy that that police chief didn’t damage anything.”

“He was kind of a weirdo,” Rea commented as they arrived at their lockers.

“He’s new apparently. I looked him up when I got home. He’s been around for only a year, and yesterday was the first major crisis that he had to deal with.”

As Rea was exchanging the books she needed in her locker, someone called out to them from down the hallway.

“Hey! It’s the big heroes from the news!”

Rea felt her face grew hot, she could tell from the tone of voice that the person yelling was definitely not being sincere.

“You bend better in a terrorist attack than on the court!” The person blared. In response, the rest of the hallway burst into laughter.

Rea clenched her fists, but Shu put a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t do it Rea,” he said, “You’re in enough trouble as it is.”

Her shoulders relaxed, and she allowed Shu to lead her away through the mass of ridiculing classmates, but not before violently slamming her locker shut.

“I don’t get it,” she said, “we stopped terrorists and we still get made fun of!”

“It’s high school,” he breathed, “Just go to history and I’ll see you at lunch- and try not to light anyone on fire before then.”

Rea gave her friend a half-hearted smile right as the bell rang. When she walked into the classroom everyone’s eyes automatically trained themselves on her. She barely made it to the desk before Mr.Tikaani noticed her as well.

“Ah, Rea,” he said from his place at the front of the classroom. Behind him, in big letters, the whiteboard blared “Papers due Tuesday!” Her stomach instantly dropped. She had not started that paper- she did not even remember what it was supposed to be on.

“I saw you on the news last night. That was a very brave thing you did. But if you have time to go to the Semi Finals and stop terrorists, I trust you have had enough time to work on your history paper? Especially considering the topic...”

“You’re kidding me,” she mumbled under her breath. Not that it was out of character for Mr.Tikaani to give her a hard time, but she was hoping her actions would get her some respect from at least a few people at the school.

“How is everyone doing then?” Mr. Tikaani asked as the last few people settled into their seats, “Everyone good for handing in the paper Tuesday? Which is tomorrow.”

Rea tried to subtly flip through her notebook to find the assignment sheet.

“It’s on the spirit bombing of The Fire Nation,” the blue-eyed boy sitting next to her whispered.

“Uh, thanks,” She said, confused.

“And that was some bending you did yesterday. Maybe I’ll come to your next match?”

She would have blushed if she was not so taken off guard, or preoccupied with how she was going to throw together an eight page paper on the spirit bombing in one night.

Especially considering she had a firebending scroll to decipher.

“Uh, yeah, that’d be cool?” was her only response.

~

“I think he flirted with me?” Rea said to Shu as they went to join Yonten at their lunch table.

“Was he cute?” Shu asked, fries already filling his mouth.

“I think so,” she said, “I mean, I was more focused on figuring out how I’m going to get this paper done. If I get a bad grade on top of everything else that’s happened, I’ll never be able to firebend because my mother will lock me away from the sun for so long I’ll turn into a badgermole.”

Yonten was busy eating his salad again as they arrived at the table. But when he noticed Rea and Shu he instantly dropped his fork and looked at them, wide-eyed.

“What _happened_?!” The small Air Nomad almost shouted.

“Uh, we’re fine Yonten” Shu said.

“I guess you saw us on the news like everyone else in this school,” Rea mumbled.

“Well I don’t watch television, but my parents do. And they freaked out when they saw what happened.”

There was the sound of a chair being dragged on the floor as Hong scooched himself over to their table.

“Hello! My local heroes, eh?!” He said, pen and pencil at the ready.

“No, Hong,” Rea said immediately.

“Oh come on!” He begged, “This would be an amazing story for the school newspaper! Unagi High Schoolers Take Down Rogue Air Nomads! This could be a huge story for me! An interview with you guys while you’re hot might be my big break into journalism! Eh?”

Rea just put her head down on the table.

“We were already interviewed yesterday,” Shu explained, “everyone already knows that.”

“Yes,” Hong agreed with a roll of his eyes, “But what if they missed something? Or if you guys didn’t get to really explain your story.”

“There’s nothing to explain!” Rea snapped, “A bomb went off, I threw fire at the people who did it, end of story!”

“Can I use that as a direct quote?” Hong asked, writing furiously.

“You’re exhausting,” Rea spat.

“And how about you?” Hong turned to Yonten now, “Did you know these rogue airbenders? Or better yet, are you related to any of them?”

“Okay,” Shu said harshly, jumping up out of his seat, “You’re done, Hong. Get away from our table- and if you publish anything bad about Yonten just for being an Airbender… I’ll… Uh...”

Rea slammed her first on the table, causing the metal trays to bounce into the air with a resounding clang. Tongues of flame burst briefly from the strike, and her fist left a scorch mark on the table-top.

“You’ll end up even more charred than this table,” Rea said, finishing Shu’s sentence.

Hong slowly put away his pad and pencil.

“Eh, no problem guys,” Hong said with a tremor in his voice, “well, if you’d ever like to be, uh, interviewed. You know where to find me, eh?”

The way he left the table could only be described as a frenzied scurry.

“I don’t see you get mad too often,” Rea said turning to Shu.

“Something about him just makes me angry, especially if he was going to try to associate Yonten with those terrorists. And, uh, thanks for helping me out with the words there, Rea.”

“Anytime.”

“I do know them,” Yonten said, much to Rea and Shu’s surprise.

“Well,” he clarified, “I know _of_ them.”

“They’re the Lung Ta, correct?” Shu said.

Yonten played with his orange cloth awkwardly.

“Yes, they’re from the Northern Air Temple. They’re an extremist group who believe that all Air Nomads should be strictly following Air Nomad customs. They’re known to go after Air Nomads that desert their temple in search of a modern lifestyle. But I’ve never heard of them attacking so publicly- and on such a large scale.”

“Isn’t one of the biggest Air Nomad customs practicing non-violence?” Rea asked skeptically.

Yonten nodded.

“Well that doesn’t make much sense,” Rea mumbled.

“How long have the Lung Ta been going after Air Nomad deserters?” Shu asked.

“For years now,” Yonten shrugged.

“We’ve never heard of it happening,” Shu said.

“That’s because I don’t think the newspapers report it- it’s just an Air Nomad problem,” Yonten sighed.

“Well not anymore,” Rea pointed out, “Now that people of Republic City are in danger, I’m sure the news is going to go crazy about the Lung Ta. And they did seem to be targeting things that had to do with selling Air Nomad ‘styles.’ And to think I was about to buy one of those necklaces… I didn’t realize what that meant.”

“Yeah,” Shu added, “But how much is the news going to differentiate between the Lung Ta and Air Nomads in general? We just saw Hong about to lump Yonten with those terrorists.”

Rea suddenly did not feel like eating her sandwich. The stress of getting her paper done paired with this new information from Yonten was making her feel sick. She had no idea that the Air Nomads had so much to deal with.

“But Avatar Jian will be able to fix it, right?” Rea suggested optimistically.

Yonten gave a sad laugh, “He’s their biggest target.”

~

After school, Rea was unloading the history books from her locker into her backpack. She held one up, marveling that she made it halfway through the school year without taking the plastic wrapping off.

“So... about practice?” Shu asked from a few lockers down, also gathering what he needed to complete the night’s homework.

“Oh crap,” Rea facepalmed, “I completely forget. I mean I have to go straight home or my mother will call a search party. I’m surprised she hasn’t put a tracking chip in my scalp yet.”

She slung her backpack over her shoulder.

“I guess just try to practice on your own tonight?" She said, "Ugh, this is so frustrating, our last game of the season is coming up and we aren’t even going to get to practice together before it.”

The two of them began walking down the hall, ignoring the strange looks they got from their peers. At least no one was shouting at them this time.

“We could have used the footage from the Semi Finals to help us with strategy, too,” Shu sighed, “Should I send you some of the clips? Maybe you could think of some plays or something?”

“Nah,” Rea said, “Better not. I need to really focus on this history paper… I dunno how I’m gonna pull this one off. Besides, we would need Yasha in the loop if we wanted to talk stra- Oh crap.”

“You didn’t tell Yasha that there’s no practice today, did you?”

They had arrived at the main lobby of the school. Students with full backpacks were filing out the front doors and onto the buses that were waiting to depart.

“What after-school thing does she have on Mondays?” Rea grunted, “I’ll go let her know so she doesn’t show up to practice and then get pissed at me when we aren’t there.”

“Math club I think. Just make sure you don’t miss your bus.”

“Got it!” Rea said, and began running back down the hall.  

Math club met at the end of the west wing. Rea never understood why anyone would want to do extra work after school- and math of all subjects. But apparently, according to Yasha, the math team got more of a turn out at _their_ competitions than the Squirreltoads did.

“No Dad,” Rea could hear from around the corner, “you really don’t have to come to my last match… I know you feel bad but it’s okay, really.”

Rea recognized it as Yasha’s voice and crept closer.

“No, uh… yeah it’s on Friday. G-great. Yeah I’ll be home for dinner. Practice usually doesn’t go too late. Okay. Bye. Love you, too.”

“Is your dad coming to our match Friday?!” Rea said, popping into view.

Yasha screamed and tossed her phone into the air. She juggled it a few times before getting a firm grip again.

“I’m not even close to being late for practice, why are you stalking me already?” Yasha said as she slid her phone back into her pocket, “And yes… my father is coming to see us Friday.”

“I wanted to let you know that practice is canceled on the account of me being grounded for intervening in a terrorist attack- wow,” Rea paused, “I think you’re the only person today who hasn’t greeted me with some kind of comment about what happened.”

“I heard enough about the Semi Finals from my dad, he wouldn’t shut up about it all weekend,” Yasha murmured, “Wait- so when is our next practice then?”

“Uh, about that,” Rea said, suddenly becoming interested with the dirt under one of her fingernails, “The grounding is until our final match. So we’re not going to get to practice for this one.”

“What?” Yasha snapped, her beaded braid swinging from how furiously she had cocked her head.

“You care?” Rea asked, perplexed.

“My dad has thankfully been busy during all of our previous matches- doing Water Tribe representation stuff for his job or whatever- but he has been so bent on seeing me that he’s taking off work to come see us on Friday. And I may have… exaggerated… our skills.”

“How much of an exaggeration?” Rea raised an eyebrow.

“I told him we were good. Well, that _I_ was good.”

“We still have a shot, I’m trying to figure out a way that we can get together and practi-”

“No you don’t get it,” Yasha sighed, “My dad is a waterbending master. Our father-daughter bonding time consists of traditional waterbending forms- that’s it. He could care less what my grades are as long as my water whip is on point. If he saw how badly I do in the ring… he’s going to be so disappointed…”

“I wish I knew a master firebender… Wait a minute,” Rea crossed her arms, “So you’re saying your dad wants you to focus on your bending instead of school? We need to trade parents. My mom goes insane the second she sees as much as a spark coming from my body.”

“Really?” Yasha laughed, “My dad has actually waterbended my textbooks before- by mistake, but still.”

Rea found herself joining in on the laughter.

“Waterbended your textbooks?”

“Yeah I was studying and he thought it would be funny to-”

“Shhh” a voice hissed. The advisor of the math club, an older looking woman in an out-of-style Earth Republic dress was standing in the doorway of her classroom.

“You can either come inside and do math or stay out here and be quiet. There are students working in here.”

“I guess I should get back inside,” Yasha said, “and then try to think of a way to break it to my father that I’m a crappy Pro Bender…”

“I’ll figure out a way to get us in some practice time,” Rea reassured her.

“I don’t think it matters how much I practice. Traditional waterbending technique I can handle, it’s this fists-a-flying stuff that baffles me. I don’t know how you do it.”

“I’d give you pointers at practice, but you tend to yell at me when I do-”

“Sorry,” Yasha said, rubbing the back of her neck shyly, “I haven’t really been taking our team very seriously. As you can probably tell… I just get so much bending shoved at me at home, I’d rather not have to do it more than I have to.”

“It’s okay,” Rea said, “I’ll figure out a way for us to meet and I can give you some tips so you can show your dad some good bending on Friday. In the meantime I have to figure out how I’m going to not fail this history paper.”

“The Mr. Tikaani paper?” Yasha asked.

Rea’s phone began ringing in her pocket.

“Oh crap,” She muttered as she saw the incoming call was from “mom.”

Moving quickly, Yasha snatched the phone from Rea and answered it.

“Hello? Hi. This is Yasha.”

“What are you doing?!” Rea hissed. Yasha just held up a finger to signal for her to be patient.

“Yes Rea just went to the bathroom and left her phone on the table. She signed up for a tutor- we’re at the school library. Yes. I’m actually part of Unagi High’s Tutor-for-Tuition program. Yes. Alright great, I’ll let her know.”

Yasha handed back the phone to the open-mouthed Rea.

“You have to be home by dinner,” Yasha said with a smirk, “So we have until then to finish up your history paper and get some bending practice in. I’ll drive.”

And with that, Yasha turned on her heel and began walking down the hallway.

“Wait,” Rea was still trying to wrap her head around what just happened, “Don’t you have math club?”

“I still have five other extra-curriculars to fall back on,” Yasha smiled, “And I actually am a part of Unagi High’s Tutor-for-Tuition program. So you’ll have to sign my timesheet when we’re done.”

~

Yasha lived in a large two story-home in a neighborhood where the houses were ornate and graciously spaced out. The garage was full of cars, and the rooms were full of furniture. But Rea barely had any time to marvel at the grandeur of Yasha’s place. She was ushered upstairs and plopped in front of Yasha’s computer. But after two and a half hours of flipping pages and asking Yasha many, many questions, a printed copy of a paper was in Rea’s hands.

“There! Not too bad right?” Yasha asked, capping the red pen that she had used to mark up the first three drafts of Rea’s paper.

“I didn’t realize all the nations could be so stupid,” Rea marveled, “Like why would you want to see who can make the biggest spirit bomb if it’s just going to get us all killed in a chain reaction anyway?”

“Yes, and your thesis asks that exact question,” Yasha laughed as she got up and stretched.

“And to think that they didn’t learn anything from Kuvira’s attack on Republic City. Like I know it happened years prior, but still.”

“Wow Rea. It sounds like you’re really starting to nerd out. And as out of character it is for me to say it, I think we should try to fit some bending in before I have to drive you home.”

Rea instantly shifted gears and hopped out of her chair.

“Yes,” she said, cracking her knuckles, “Let us bend! Shall we?”

In Yasha’s basement was a large, octagonal room lined with light brown wood. Matching wooden pillars were around the perimeter, with a moat of water along the wall. Small waterfalls came out of each of the eight walls, and various waterbending scrolls and insignias were used as decoration. The floor was a soft, absorbent material that was still firm underfoot.

In the center of the room, wearing traditional Water Tribe garb, was Yasha’s father. He had wavy, shoulder-length brown hair and a scruffy beard. He was standing completely still, eyes closed, his arms curved out in front of him as if he was hugging a giant ball. As he inhaled, the water in the moat was pulled towards him, and as he exhaled, the water relaxed with him. The movement was reminiscent of the ebb and flow of the tides.

“He’s meditating,” Yasha whispered.

“I can hear you,” He whispered back with his eyes still closed, “Who's your friend?”

“This is Rea,” Yasha said, “Rea, this is my dad. Rea is on the Pro Bending team. We were actually looking to practice a little bit before she has to go home, if that’s alright?”

“Of course!” Yasha’s dad said as he suddenly fell out of his pose. The water splashed back into place in the moat, this time more harshly than before, “I’m always in support of a nice bout of bending practice! Getting ready for the big game Friday?”

“Yes-” Rea said as he grabbed her hand and began shaking it furiously.

“Great to meet you, great to meet you!” He said excitedly.

“Same to you,” Rea muttered, pulling her arm back, “I’ve never met a master bender before!”

“It’s a pretty fun gig, I’ll have to have you watch a demonstration some time. Now you kids have fun, I’ll see what we’re having for dinner!” Yasha’s dad began bouncing up the steps.

“It’s fish, dad,” Yasha said, “The same thing we have every-”

A burst of water came from the top of the stairs, knocking Yasha off of her feet and onto her back. Rea jumped backwards, naturally taking a fighter’s pose.

“You gotta be ready for those, honey!” Her dad yelled from the top of the stairs.

“This is what I live with,” She muttered from the ground.

~

“Alright,” Rea said, “Let’s see what you got. You go first.”

Rea and Yasha had both put on sparring gear from her father’s supply. They now stood opposite of each other on the mat.

Yasha moved her upper body in a fluid motion, drawing up a large amount water from the moat. She collect the water in a ball by her side and then twisted to face front, the water was directed forward from the whip-like motions of her arms.

The water barely made it two feet before a jet of flame canceled it out with a hiss.

“Your moves are all traditional,” Rea said, “but at the distance we are from the enemy team, you don’t have the time to maneuver so much water. I can prepare a counterattack way too easily.”

Rea then moved across the mat to stand next to Yasha.

“Try doing the same motion you did with your hips- that water bendy stuff, but just use one hand.”

Yasha brought a fist to her side.

“Okay,” Rea instructed, “Now try to grab onto the water and snap forward at the same time.”

Yasha twisted forward, extending her firt in a punch, but all that happened was the water from the moat surged forward behind her and splashed all over the floor.

“Not that much water. Try again.”

Yasha did the motion again, this time, a tiny jet of water fired from the moat and across the room, splashing on the far wall.

“Yeah!” Rea shouted, “That’s it! You gotta be fast, strong, and unpredictable! Now let’s work on that punch a few more times and we can go to combinations next.”

~

“Alright, go.” Rea said from her position opposite of Yasha.

Yasha did a one two punch, sending quick, but powerful jets of water at Rea.

Rea countered with three punches of her own- two to counter Yasha’s attack, and one as an offensive.

The waterbender crouched down, the remaining fire projectile soaring over her head and leaving a scorch mark on the wall behind her. As she stood, Yasha moved both her fists simultaneously in a hook motion. Two water blasts, one from either side of her, crossed in mid air towards Rea.

Spinning into a kick, Rea created an arc of flame from her foot that absorbed both water blasts. She then continued her momentum, sending another arc of flame forward with another kick.

Yasha spun her arms in a circle in front of her, drawing water together to form a shield. The fire collided with the water, but the force of the fire blast was still strong enough to knock Yasha back and into the moat with a splash. But without a moment’s hesitation, Rea was there, arm outstretched, ready to help Yasha up.

“Thanks,” Yasha said as she allowed herself to get pulled to her feet.

“That was amazing,” Rea said while Yasha began to bend the water from her clothes.

“I still have a lot to work on,” Yasha said, “But I’m feeling a lot better thanks to you. Hopefully by Friday I’ll be able to hold my own.”

“I think you’ll be able to hold your own right now actually,” Rea reassured, “You are a great bender, it’s just adapting your traditional moves to fit the arena.”

“Traditional...” Rea repeated. The gears in her head turning.

“What? Why are you saying it like that?”

“Hold on!” Rea said, heading up the stairs, “There’s one more thing I need your help with before I head home. It’s in my backpack!”

~

Yasha and Rea looked at the firebending scroll that was unrolled on the floor of the bending room.

“This is,” Yasha marveled, “a traditional firebending scroll! Where did you find this?”

“I think it was my dad’s,” Rea said, “I found it in my attic. But I haven’t got a clue where to start.”

Yasha pointed to the first sequence, which looked like a man sitting cross legged while a flame grew and shrank beside him.

“This looks like a meditation pose,” Yasha explained, “For breathing and chi control.”

“Can we maybe start with the second one then?” Rea asked, “Something that actually gets me moving?”

“This is funny,” Yasha said.

“What?”

“How badly you want to bend. There’s not a lot of people like you anymore. I guess I kind of forget how lucky I am to have someone to directly pass down such an ancient art.”

“So you’ll help me learn?”

“I’ll do my best,” Yasha said, standing up with the scroll in hand, “I don’t know too much about firebending, but my dad has shown me videos and things of the other traditional bending arts. He said it was important to know about all the bending styles in order to understand where waterbending fits in everything else.”

“Awesome!” Rea leapt to her feet.

“We’ll start with the second sequence then,” Yasha said, “You’re going to start with your feet shoulder width apart, fists at your waist…”

 

 


	5. -Book 1: Fire - Chapter 4: The Spirit Dog-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I suck. This is super late. I started working two jobs so I've been super crunched for time- but I will not stop writing! Also I am learning how incredibly awkward it is to use the word "benders" "bended" and "bending" when writing... So I apologize if I'm not consistent with how I use those words, I'm trying to make up consistent "rules" as I go alone for their grammar usage X_x

Rea put her small library of history books back into her locker. She took her completed paper out of her bag and marveled at its completed form.

“You did it?!” Shu asked, peering over her shoulder.

“Had a little help from Yasha, but yeah,” Rea flipped the pages with her thumb, “all eight pages!”

“Wait,” Shu said, perplexed, “You and Yasha worked together? Without bloodshed?”

“You see how white these pages are? Not a drop of blood!”

Rea and Shu started down the hallway as Rea explained the miracle.

“We actually got along really well yesterday. Her dad has this great bending room and I helped her out a little. She's actually a great waterbender.”

“Give me a few months to recover from my shock,” Shu jested as he took out his phone.

“Oh come on, the two of us aren't _that_ hostile.”

Shu scrolled through his phone until he found what he was looking for. He passed his phone to Rea.

“Using bending as a segue…” He said, “I made a reel of the Turtleduck’s best moments. Complete with slow motion replays so we can see exactly what they did. Figured it would help us out if the three of us get a chance to practice together.”

The footage had been cropped and edited to show the best moves from their favorite team. Rea watched as Zosa ducked and spun between her two teammates. When a move was completed, the video replayed it at a slower pace. The current scene showed an earth disk shattering next to Zosa’s head as it collided with a water blast. Even in slow-motion Zosa did not flinch.

“This is amazing!” Rea said, “I don't know if we could pull this off by the end of the week, but we can try to do some variation of it.”

“Hey!” A voice behind them called. Rea expected one of their many ridiculers to be behind them, ready to throw out snide comments about their bending team. Instead, across the hall, was Yasha.

“I thought you didn't like being seen with us during school hours?” Rea joked.

Yasha just crossed her arms.

“Well I was coming over to make sure that we aren't the biggest jokes at Unagi High. My dad said we can use the bending space at my house for practice. This way all three of us can work plays or something. Rea, we can just tell your mom that I'm tutoring you- which doesn't have to be a lie.”

“That would be great!” Shu said, “And I have some footage from the Semi Finals that might help us out! You good to practice today, Rea?”

But Rea’s attention was at the other end of the hallway. A boy in a dirt-covered yellow shirt was walking towards them. His familiar orange shoulder cloth was missing, and his left eye was swollen shut and purple.

“Yonten!” Rea said, sprinting towards him.

Shu and Yasha were startled by Rea’s sudden outburst, but when they saw what caused her reaction, they followed.

“What happened?” Rea demanded, her hands already balled into fists, “Who did this to you?!”

“Is this that Air Nomad kid you guys mentioned?” Yasha asked, “His eye looks rough!”

“Are you okay?” Shu asked.

“I'm fine,” Yonten squeaked. But the tear marks on his cheeks suggested otherwise.

“Let’s get him to a water fountain,” Yasha said, “I can try to heal that eye.”

The group brought the small Air Nomad to the nearest fountain. A few people stopped and stared at the swollen eye. One group of onlookers even snickered cruelly, but a threatening flash of flame from Rea quickly shut them up.

At the fountain, Yasha drew out some water with her bending and had it collect around her hand. She pulled Yonten over and the water began to glow as it reacted with her chi. Tentatively, she pressed the glowing liquid against Yonten’s eye. His entire body instantly relaxed as the water began to heal away the pain.

“So what happened to you?” Shu asked while Yasha worked.

“I was waiting for the bus when a group of kids jumped me. I tried to airbend to get away- but they wouldn't let me go.”

“Why would they do something like that?” Rea snapped, “Especially to someone whose entire philosophy is about peace and harmony.”

Yonten sighed, “They were saying how it was my fault- my people’s fault- for the attack on Sunday. I didn't recognize them, I don't think they go to Unagi High.”

Rea and Shu shared a look of concern.

“Did you tell anyone about this?” Shu asked.

Already the swelling around the eye was going down. Yasha gathered more water from the fountain before she continued healing.

“I don't know who I would tell-”

“Um, the principal,” Yasha said, moving her hand away from Yonten’s eye. The swelling had gone down significantly. And now the eyelid was only a light pink instead of a startling purple.

“I… I don’t want to cause anymore trouble,” Yonten said timidly.

“There,” Yasha said stepping back to admire her work, “How's that?”

Yonten gently pressed his fingertips to his eye to test it, “Wow, thanks!”

“Okay, it’s great that he’s feeling better,” Rea muttered, “but we have to do something about this. What happens when he gets jumped again? You said these guys got you near your bus stop- that means they live close to you.”

“Why doesn't he come with us to practice?” Yasha suggested, “that way he doesn't have to take the bus home.”

Shu looked from Yasha to Rea, “We’re having practice?”

“Yeah,” Rea said, scratching the back of her head, “Yasha and I already talked about it.”

“Wow,” Shu marveled, “You guys really did manage to work together on something. But we need to tell someone about Yonten’s attackers- we’re not going to be able to be his escorts every day.”

“Deal,” Rea said, crossing her arms, “Yonten, we’ll go with you to the office tomorrow to make sure the principal does something about this. But until he does, you're going to be our cheering section at our practices.”

“Thanks guys!” The little Air Nomad said, his spirits were already lifting, “What do I do as the cheering section?”

Yasha smirked, “Hopefully you'll cheer.”

~

After history class Rea lingered after the bell rang. As most students were busy filing out of the classroom, Rea was making her way to Mr. Tikaani’s desk.

“Hi Rea,” he said, not even looking up from the lesson plan for next period, “what excuse are you going to give me this time? Your papers have a bad habit of lighting themselves on fire.”

“No, it's not that,” Rea said, “I turned in my paper-“

Mr. Tikaani looked up.

“On time?” He asked, eyes wide.

“Yes… I wanted to ask if you would grade mine first. I've been on thin ice with my mom and I tried really hard on this paper, so I was hoping I could show it to her as soon as possible to gain some points in the mom-book.”

Mr. Tikaani raised an eyebrow, “you're that confident that this is going to be a good paper?”

“I'm not stupid,” Rea stated, “I just prioritize... other things…”

“Bending going well then?”

“Just because I prioritize doesn't automatically mean what I prioritize is successful,” Rea raised a finger.

Mr. Tikaani gave a laugh.

“I'll put your paper on the top of the pile,” Mr. Tikaani said, “but shouldn't you be getting to your next class?”

“Yes! Thank you Mr. Tikaani!” Rea said as she slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed towards the door.

“And Rea?”

She paused in the doorway, expecting some kind of snide comment.

“That was brave what you did at the Semi Finals.”

“Oh,” Rea said, taken aback, “thanks.”

And she headed off to her math class.

~

“Alright,” Yasha said, stepping out of her car and gesturing towards her house, “Everybody out!”

Rea, Shu, and Yonten filed out of Yasha’s blue Satomobile and onto her spacious front lawn. Yonten and Shu were leaning back, taking in the sight of Yasha’s humongous house.

“You live here?” Yonten asked in awe.

“Eh, kind of,” Yasha smirked, “I pretty much just sleep here after I've locked myself in the library to study for several hours. But come on, through the front door, take a right, down the stairs.”

She opened the front door and let Yonten excitedly bounce inside. When everyone was in, she shut the door and announced that she would grab some snacks and meet them all in the bending room.

Rea noticed that Shu’s face had turned bright red, his mouth was in a tight line.

“What's wrong?” Rea asked Shu as they passed through Yasha’s ornate living room.

“It's just,” he said quietly, “It's so… nice. And I live-“

“Hey,” Rea reassured, “Yasha did not invite us here to show off. She's helping out the team because she wants us to do well. She won't care that you don't have as much hand carved furniture in your living room as she does.”

“It just still makes me feel..., I don't really know. I just feel a little embarassed.”

There was a loud crashing sound as they turned the corner towards the stairs that lead to the basement. Yonten, who had been walking in front, had been launched backwards by a jet of water. He tumbled into a cabinet full of china decorated with Water Tribe symbols.

“Yasha!” Yasha’s father called, coming into view, “you should have told me you were having friends over!”

“Really dad?! Did you waterbend one of our guests?!” She shouted from a few rooms away.

The man lifted the soggy, startled Air Nomad to his feet and with a quick wave of his arms bended the water from his clothes and hair.

“Sorry… um. I don't think we’ve met?”

“I’m Yonten,” the boy said delicately.

“Sorry Yonten, nice to meet you! Are you Air Nomad?”

Yonten just nodded.

“Oh wow,” Yasha’s father said as he began to furiously shake Yonten’s hand, “what a pleasure!”

“Are surprise attacks normal here?” Shu whispered to Rea.

Yasha appeared now, carrying a tray with drinks and a bowl of crunchy Water Tribe dried green noodles. Her countenance was unamused, her mouth squished into a frustrated squiggle.

“We’re going downstairs,” Yasha announced to her father, “We’re practicing for Friday’s match.”

She apologized to Yonten the entire trip down the stairs into the bending room. But he insisted, with hands raised, that he was not offended at all.

~

“Alright,” Rea said, “Get into position, just like in the video. Ready Yonten?”

The Squirreltoads were situated at one end of the room in their Pro Bending gear. At the other end, Yonten was standing next to a tub of tennis balls from Yasha’s mother’s personal stock. Her father had assisted them in pilfering them. On the far wall, behind Yonten, was a paper target.

“Ready!” The Air Nomad announced, lifting the first ball up with a gust of air.

“Go!” Rea shouted.

A flurry of tennis balls bombarded the Squirreltoads. Shu drew earth disks from a pile that Yasha’s dad had taken out of storage for them. Yasha pulled water from the moat around the room. The two of them moved their respective elements in swiping motions, swatting away the tennis balls from either side of Rea. They stayed close to the firebender, moving slowly forward as a unit.

“Move forward so I can get a clear shot,” Rea instructed.

“Watch it!” Yasha snapped at Shu as one of his disks collided with her water, splashing her in the face.

Shu stepped on Rea’s toe, causing her to fall into him. As Shu tried to avoid getting knocked over by Rea, he let an earth disk fall to the ground. The disk bounced and rolled away, leaving Shu open for the tennis ball that struck him square in the face. Another hit Rea in the stomach and Yasha took a stinging tennis ball strike to the thigh.

“Game!” Yonten shouted, throwing his fists in the air, “who knew Pro Bending could be so fun?”

“You stepped on my foot!” Rea grumbled.

“Well I miss-stepped because Yasha yelled at me!” Shu said, a red circular mark forming on his forehead.

“Well you were too close to me! Your bending interfered with mine!” Yasha said, hands on her waist.

“We need to move together-!” Rea began shouting but stopped herself. She took a breath, pressing a hand against her forehead.

“We need to learn to move together,” Rea said calmly this time, “or I'm not going to be able to get close enough to get a shot.”

“Alright,” Yasha said, “Let’s run it again- this time I'll try to keep a bigger space between me and Shu.”

“Got it,” Shu said, “I'll keep my disks closer to me.”

“What are these anyway?” Yonten asked, picking up the stray tennis balls.

“They're for a sport that non benders like,” Yasha explained, “usually really bored non benders, like my mom.”

When Yonten was ready for the next round of practice, the three benders got back into position.

“How's your traditional bending practice?” Yasha asked Rea.

“It's going,” she mumbled back, watching as Yonten raised a tennis ball in the air.

“Try working on breathing with the movement,” She suggested.

“This is weird,” Shu said from the other side of Rea.

“What?” The girls said simultaneously.

“You guys are acting like a team,” Shu chuckled as he raised a disk to block the first tennis ball.

~

An hour and a half later, everyone was stripping off their gear while Yonten picked up the tennis balls that were strewn about the room. The target on the wall was now thoroughly singed.

“Not bad, team,” Rea said, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her arm.

“I didn't know what I was missing,” Yonten said, dropping the tennis balls back in the bin that they had come in, “I haven't airbended like that since the Air Temple.”

“Thanks for helping,” Shu said to the Air Nomad, slapping him on the back.

“Yeah, yeah,” Yasha said, her hair currently in a frizzy mess, “It was great bonding for all, but I've got to get you home, Yonten. Rea and Shu, I'll drop you guys off downtown since it's on the way to Yonten’s.”

The four of them filed back into Yasha’s Satomobile. They rode quietly, listening to a pop station on the radio (someone was singing about love being the source of their firebending). The practice had exhausted them- especially Yonten who was now dozing off in the front seat. After a few minutes, Yasha pulled over in front of a gas station in downtown Unagi. The downtown area was an epicenter of sorts- between Rea and Shu’s houses, as well as Yonten’s and Yasha’s. It was also right next to the bordering town of New Gaipan.  

“Here's your stop,” Yasha said over her shoulder.

“Thanks Yasha,” Rea said, opening the door and hefting her bag higher on her shoulder.

“Yeah thanks,” Shu said, also climbing out of the Satomobile, “and thanks for taking care of Yonten.”

“Anytime,” Yasha smiled.

“And Rea,” she added, “work on that breathing.”

“Work on your left hook,” Rea laughed, closing the door.

“What was that about?” Shu said as the blue vehicle drove away.

The two friends hopped up onto the sidewalk and began walking down the street that was lined with shops.

“Oh crap!” Rea said, slapping a hand against the side of her face, “With everything that’s happened lately I completely forgot. I found a firebending scroll in the attic- I think it was my dad’s. So Yasha gave me a hand with understanding it.”

“You're desperate enough to learn firebending from a waterbender?”

“They're traditional moves,” Rea explained, “and Yasha knows more about that because of her dad.”

Shu stopped and raised his eyebrows, “So? Let's see it then!”

“I haven't really added the ‘fire’ part yet,” Rea said, refusing to break stride, “Yasha has me focusing on the movement and breath-“

A group of boys around Rea and Shu’s age sprinted past them on the sidewalk. They were whooping and shouting. One of them bumped Rea as he went by, not bothering to pause and apologize.

“Hey- watch it!” Rea shouted after them. They appeared to be running after a small white dog. Rea would not have cared, but something orange caught her eye as she glared at the boys. In one of their back pockets was a piece of flapping orange cloth that looked oddly familiar.

“Those are the guys!” Rea shouted, bursting into a sprint after them.

“What?” Shu called after her concerned.

She gestured for him to follow, already in a sprint.

“But we just exercised…” He mumbled to himself before taking off after her.

The chase brought them down a side street strewn with crates and garbage. The boys were almost through to the other side of the alley, jumping swiftly over the debris. But Rea was already closing the gap between them, hurdling over anything in her path with an almost reckless speed. Shu brought up the rear, consistently several paces behind Rea.

The alley opened up to a parking lot behind a set of office buildings. The boys had stopped now, surrounding the small dog that was now cowering against a wall. The boy in the middle had the orange cloth hanging from his back pocket.

“It's weird looking,” the boy with the cloth said. He jabbed his fist at the dog, letting a small flame burst on the ground next to it. The dog whimpered in fright as flames singed its fur. The boys all laughed.

“Hey!” Rea shouted before they could do any more harm, “you guys get a kick out of picking on things smaller than you?”

Shu had caught up by now and, breathing heavily, choked out the words, “and that… cloth… thing… belongs to our... friend!”

The boys turned around, exposing their familiar faces.

“You guys are the Radical Rabaroos!” Shu shouted.

“And you guys are the worst team in the league that we stomped last week!” The earthbender said.

“It doesn't matter who we are,” Rea said, jabbing a finger at the boys, “Step away from the dog and give back that Air Nomad cloak.”

“Or what?” The waterbender said, popping the cap off of his water skin.

“Get the dog!” Rea shouted, throwing left and right crosses in quick succession. Fireballs were launched at the earth and waterbender, forcing them to go on the defensive. The firebender retaliated with a blast of his own, but Rea easily swatted it out of the air with a backhanded strike and spun into a kick. The arc of flame she created with her foot sent him diving for cover.

Shu launched himself forward with a spring board of asphalt. He tumbled back onto the ground, close enough to knock the waterbender over by lifting the ground beneath him with a quick uppercut. He dove towards the dog, raising a slab of the parking lot just in time to block the stone and fire that had been aimed at him from the other two Rabaroos.

“Shu, get out of there!” Rea yelled as she began sending a barrage of flame at the earth and firebender who were focusing on breaking down Shu’s wall.

“Come on, doggie!” Shu said as he squatted behind his improvised defense. The dog just looked at him.

“Please?” He said, reaching out his arms. The dog shook its head. A fireball collided with the wall, sending flames skittering onto Shu’s shoulder.

“Ah! Okay we don't have time for this,” he slammed his fists onto the ground. The asphalt under the dog popped up, sending the tiny creature up into the air. Shu pulled the collar of his shirt out, catching the dog inside.

“And away we go!” He said. He swung his arms around his body, severing the asphalt he was standing on from the rest of the stone. He pushed off, riding the stone slab slide out from behind his protective wall and back towards Rea, who was still slinging a relentless amount of fireballs to give him cover.

Shu had traveled half the distance back when something cool wrapped itself around his leg. His stone slab skittered out from underneath him as he tumbled through the air. The dog was launched from his shirt but landed on all fours safely next to Rea.

Looking down, Shu saw a tendril of water wrapped around his foot. The waterbender at the other end of the tendril now pulled back, beginning to draw Shu towards him accross the asphalt.

“Shu!” Rea shouted, “Avatar Jian in _Expedition Unlikely_ , scene 4!”

Shu and Rea punched simultaneously, but each one aimed at the others adversaries. A burst of fire soared over Shu and collided with the water tendril, breaking it apart. Shu sent a mass of stone past Rea, where it shattered between the fire and earthbender’s feet, forcing them to shield their faces with their hands.

Rea ran towards Shu as the waterbender gathered the rest of his water in preparation for an attack. Shu jumped back to his feet as Rea reached him. He linked arms with Rea and swung her into the air. She kicked out her feet, sending a jet of flame through the bender’s ball of water and into his chest. He was knocked off his feet and landed flat on his back, shirt smoking.

As Rea’s feet landed back on the ground, she locked her other elbow with Shu’s. Back to back now, she leaned forward, using her momentum to lift Shu off of the ground. He raised his legs, tearing up a large mass of the asphalt and tossing it at the earth and firebender. They were forced to dive away as stone and dirt came crashing down around them.

“Give us back the robe!” Rea shouted as the dust cleared.

The Rabaroos were regrouping, all three of them getting back into battle stances.

“Why are you nice to that little bison rider?” The earthbender yelled.

“You saw what they did at the Semi Finals,” the firebender added, “don't tell me you guys are terrorists too?”

“Just give back the robe,” Rea said reaching out her hand. She was trying to stay calm despite their insults.

“Not all the Air Nomads are terrorists,” Shu said, “actually only a few-“

The earthbender had fired a small, sharp stone at Shu. He cried out as it struck him in the temple, knocking him to the ground. A steady flow of blood instantly began streaming from the wound, leaking out from under the hand that he was pressing against the side of his face.

Rea barely turned her head away from her injured friend in time to notice the fireball aimed for her own head. She exhaled as she swept the fire away with an open palm, using her waist to generate the momentum for the move. She then crouched down, following the sequence of moves she had been practicing with Yasha. She inhaled and drew her fists to rest above her hips. As she exhaled and extended a fist, she felt her chi and breath moving simultaneously. Her weight shifted forward as the chi ran from her stomach and through her arm, her breath went steadily up and out through her mouth. The way her body was moving opened the chi pathways throughout all her moving parts. When her fist reached full extension, her wrist turned at the last moment so her clenched fingers faced the ground. Her chi was released at once in the largest burst of flame she had ever created. A blinding, untamed explosion of yellow and orange tore through the parking lot, tearing up gravel as it roared through the air. The firebender raised his hands to attempt to dissipate the attack, but was engulfed by the flames. The earth and waterbender were sent head over heals, arms desperately wrapped around their faces to protect against the heat.

Rea was just as surprised as the rest of them. She looked at her smoking fist in awe and fear. Her heart was pounding.

“So that's what traditional bending feels like,” she whispered.

As the tendrils of flame sizzled out in the air, a scene of destruction was left in its wake. A charred streak was left across the parking lot, the center of which was completely torn apart. The air was hot with smoke.

“Here,” the firebender said, shakily getting to his feet and throwing the orange cloth onto the ground, “take your Air Nomad... thing. Just-just leave us alone.”

The earth and firebender, with charred hair and clothing, helped the waterbender to his feet before taking off across the parking lot and disappearing around the corner of a building.

Rea bent down to pick up Yonten’s robe, it had luckily remained relatively damage-free in the altercation.

“Man, how was that for Firebending, Shu?... Shu?”

Rea turned to see her friend on the ground a few feet away. One arm clasped against the opposite shoulder. His sleeve hand been blown away, and the revealed skin was already blistering from the burn he had sustained. He was breathing heavily, tears welling up in his eyes while his teeth dug into his lower lip. His forehead wound was still bleeding, leaving a red streak all the way down the right side of his face.

“Shu? Did I…?” She belt beside him, too scared to ask the question, even though the pit in her stomach already knew the answer. The dog pressed up against Shu, nuzzling him.

“Some of your stray fire… I think it hit my arm,” he said through gritted teeth.

“I-I'm so sorry, Shu. Come on, I'll take you to get help. Ugh, I wish Yasha was here.”

She tried to help Shu to his feet, but he grunted and pulled away.

“I'm dizzy,” he breathed, “and it hurts.”

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.”

Rea looked desperately around the empty lot, hoping to see something that could help Shu. She considered calling Yasha, but it might be faster to take him down the road to the medical clinic- but that would only work if he was able to walk soon. She felt sick. She had burned her best friend. And she could have seriously hurt the Rabaroos much more than she had thought she could.

The dog started yapping at Rea.

“Not now-“ She stopped, noticing for the first time the tiny spikes running along the dog’s spine, from his head to the tip of his tail. A long strand of fur curled out from each side of his nose. As it yapped, multicolored sparks sprayed from its mouth, like a lighter trying to light.

“What kind of dog are you?” Rea asked, raising an eyebrow.

A rainbow flame suddenly burst from it's mouth, engulfing Shu’s arm.

Rea lunged forward, intending to knock the dog away from her injured friend. But instinct stopped her. She watched as the flames washed over Shu’s wound. They gave off a soothing warmth that Rea could feel even at a distance. The burn on Shu’s skin began to fade and his breathing returned to normal. One tendril of flame even whipped higher than the rest to seal the gash on his forehead.

Shu looked down at the dog in amazement as the last of the flames died down. The tiny creature was now sitting on its haunches. The look on its face could only be described as a smile.

Shu moved his arm experimentally, the wound reduced to a slight discoloration of the skin. He stood, brushing the dirt from his pants.

"Oh Shu," Rea exhaled, "thank goodness you're okay. I- I didn't mean too- I'm so sorry."

“It's okay Rea, but I think we have something else to worry about right now... I- I don't think that this is a dog,” Shu said, looking down at the creature.

“What tipped you off, the horns or the magic rainbow healing fire?” Rea asked.

The creature gave a yip as if to comment on what Rea had said.

“You know…” Shu said, “I think this might be a spirit.”

“A spirit? That's not possible- the portals to the spirit world have been sealed for-“

The creature nodded and nuzzled itself against Rea’s leg. She scooped him up and looked him in the eyes.

“So is that it?” She asked, “You're a spirit?”

An excited bark was the reply.

Rea and Shu looked at each other and then back to the spirit.

“What do we do now?” Shu said.

But Rea was staring intently at their new companion, deep in thought.

“Rea? Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?”

Rea just smiled the smile Shu knew all too well.

“Rea you can't keep a spirit dog in your house! I don't even know if that’s legal!”

But Rea was walking away now, the spirit dog looked more than comfortable in her arms.

“I'll call you Pao,” Rea said excitedly, “Like ‘firecracker.’”

Shu pressed a hand to his forehead and followed her back towards their homes, continuing to explain why keeping a spirit as a pet might not be the best idea.


End file.
